FCBARCELONA.CAT

06.02.2008 11:51

Honours even in the Mini (1-1)

Jaume Marcet/Anna Segura

Barça's remaining first team players participated in a match that ended 1-1 against a side of youth team players on Wednesday. Ronaldinho and Edmílson both played in the encounter in the Mini Estadi.

The players that were not called up for international duty took part in the match against Barça B as the coaching staff wanted the squad to maintain their competitive rhythm with games coming up every three or four days in the next month.

Ronaldinho and Edmílson

Six first team players took part in the game. Edmílson, who had worked on his own on Tuesday, and Ronaldinho, who had not trained after receiving a blow to his eye, both took part and played alongside Sylvinho, Oleguer, Lionel Messi and Eidur Gudjohnsen.

Gaby Milito worked away from the group on his own individual training programme on the pitch on front of La Masia, where he was joined by goalkeepers Víctor Valdés and Oier Olazábal, who trained with coach Juan Carlos Unzué. José Manuel Pinto stayed in the gymnasium.

Mix and match

With so few first-teamers available, a few youngsters were added to the teams. The sides for the encounter were Pau, Fali, Oleguer, Marc Valiente, Sylvinho, Edmílson, Gudjohnsen, Marcus, Messi, Ronaldinho and Pedrito on one team and Planchería, Abraham, Córcoles, Chico, Eneko, Toribio, Dimas, Busquets, Urbano, Vázquez and Rueda on the other.

The first half ended with the first team outfit winning thanks to a goal from young Marcus in the second minute.

The equaliser

In the second half, things were changed around a lot. Thiago came on for Marcos while Espasandín and Iago replaced Chico and Vázquez. Iago Falqué was very lively in the second period and had the better chances for his team, but the equaliser for Barça B eventually came when Marc Valiente scored an own goal in the 54th minute. Messi and Gudjohnsen had good chances to win the game for their team, but Planchería has kept them out.