24.05.2007 18:55
International duty beckons for Barça stars
Sergi Nogueras
At least ten Barça players have been called up for the next round of international matches though this number will undoubtedly increase when the Spanish squad is announced on Friday lunchtime.
Barça’s training sessions next week look set to be sparsely attended due to the, by now,
customary massive exodus of players on international duty. The matches – some friendlies and
some competitive – will be played between 1st and 6th June. The players called up so far are:
Deco (Portugal), Ronaldinho and Edmílson (Brazil), Gio (Holland), Thuram (France), Zambrotta
(Italy), Gudjohnsen (Iceland), Saviola and Messi (Argentina) and Eto'o (Cameroon).
Spanish squad regulars Iniesta, Puyol and Xavi also seem likely to be included in the list to
be announced on Friday by manager Luis Aragonés.
Qualification at stake
A number of matches involving Barça players will have a bearing on the future of their
nations in the European and African Cups. Thuram, Zambrotta, Gudjohnsen, Deco and the Spanish
internationals are taking part in qualifying games for the EURO 2008 while Eto'o will line up
against Liberia in a qualifier for the 2008 CAF African Cup of Nations.
The exotic touch
Apart from Eto'o, two more Barça players will be travelling away from Europe. Gio will travel
with the Holland squad to Seoul for a friendly against South Korea on Saturday 2nd June while Deco
will be representing Portugal in their match (also a friendly) against Kuwait in Kuwait City on
Tuesday 5th.
A five-star match
The biggest attraction among the upcoming batch of international matches is the game between
England and Brazil (Ronaldinho and Edmílson) in the brand new Wembley stadium on 1st June. The
Brazil squad will then move on to Dortmund in Germany to play another friendly against Turkey. The
remaining friendly fixture will be between Switzerland and Argentina (Messi and Saviola) in Basle
on 2nd June.