06.08.2010 13:22

Alves and Messi called up

www.fcbarcelona.cat

FC Barcelona’s pre-season preparations have again been altered after Dani Alves and Lionel Messi were called up by Brazil and Argentina, respectively, for the forthcoming international friendlies.

The duo join seven other players who have been named in Spain’s squad meaning that coach Pep Guardiola will have to prepare for the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup with a number of his stars away.

Alves is set to leave China on Saturday to team up with the Brazil squad and will not play in Barça’s second game of the Asia trip against Beijing Guoan a day later. The full-back will jet to New York, with a stopover in Toronto, where he will prepare for his country’s game against the United States on Tuesday.

Messi with Argentina

Messi will be available to play for Barça on Sunday as he is not due to join up with Argentina 24 hours later. The forward will fly to Dublin on Monday in order to be ready to play against the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday evening.