FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.12.2009 14:05

League and Cup dominate January

Neus Pérez

Barca begin 2009 with a busy January full of La Liga and Spanish Cup commitments. The team are set to play seven games for sure during the month, with the possibility of two more if they reach the next round in the Cup.

After a well earned week of holidays, the squad will be back in training on December 29th to prepare for a tough January schedule of five league and two, or maybe 4 cup games. After winning everything on offer in 2009, Guardiola’s team will be looking to keep up the good work at the start of the New Year.

Busy schedule

The Nou Camp will see the year kick off when Villarreal visit on Saturday January 2nd at 20.00, with the first leg of the Spanish Cup tie against Seville three days later. The return leg is set for the week of the 12th-14th with the exact day and time yet to be confirmed.

Seville again

As well as the two Cup games, Seville and Barca will meet again on 17th January at the Nou Camp in the league, with another league game in Tenerife set for the 10th . The Champions then round off the month with games against Valladolid and Sporting Gijon.

Two more games possible

Should Barca beat Seville in the Cup, they will then face two more games, against either Valencia or Deportivo in the quarter final, provisionally set for 20th with the return at the Nou Camp on 27th.

African Nations Cup

Guardiola will be without his African players for the games, with Touré Yaya and Seydou Keita representing Ivory Coast and Mali at the African Nations Cup, as well as Jeffren who was injured in the friendly game in Kuwait.