FCBARCELONA.CAT

29.01.2008 12:41

Ronaldinho joins team for training

Sandra Sarmiento/Anna Segura

After getting medical clearance on Monday, Ronaldinho joined in with normal training on Tuesday morning. The Miniestadi was the venue as the side got ready for Thursday’s cup game.

The first team was at the Miniestadi for the first of two training sessions on Tuesday. After almost a month on the sidelines, Ronaldinho trained with the rest of the squad and from this moment on is once again available for selection by Frank Rijkaard.

High intensity

The main focus of the team’s preparations was the return leg of the cup on Thursday at home to Villarreal, where a semi final place is at stake. Rijkaard is getting his injured players back, and the only players missing at the Miniestadi were Jorquera and Ezquerro, apart from Touré and Eto'o, who are at the African Nations Cup of course.

Márquez, who missed the last game with a thigh injury, trained in isolation, but joined in with some of the group exercises. Although he did tackle the circuit training section, the Mexican left for the dressing rooms before the session ended.

Work on pressure

The players divided into two groups to work on creating pressure on the first touch, playing on a downsized pitch. The orange group featured Deco, Ronaldinho, Puyol, Edmílson, Bojan, Sylvinho, Milito and Oleguer, while in green we had Gudjohnsen, Henry, Abidal, Xavi, Zambrotta, Messi, Giovani and fitness coach Albert Roca.

Barça have another training session this evening at 18.00.