FCBARCELONA.CAT

12.02.2008 12:20

Touré and Bojan back with group

Marc Guillén / Vanessa Forns

Bojan Krkic and Touré Yaya both returned to first team duty at Frank Rijkaard’s training session on Tuesday.

Monday was a day off, but it was back to work on Tuesday, with Bojan fresh again after the bout of gastroenteritis that meant he missed the game with Sevilla, and Touré Yaya back from his Nations Cup exploits with the Ivory Coast in Africa. Both players will be available for selection for Saturday’s away trip to Zaragoza. The squad was also joined by Barça B’s second choice goalkeeper Pau Torres.

The injured Carles Puyol and Ezquerro worked apart from the main group at La Masia with a first team fitness coach. Both jogged and did short ball control exercises. As on Sunday, a number of players were also absent as they worked in the treatment room on different minor niggles picked up in Saturday’s game in Seville.

Specific cases

Giovani has hurt his right thigh, Abidal has isquiotibial bother, Messi has problems with his left ankle, and Thuram has injured both thighs. Henry, meanwhile, is still dealing with the injury to his left leg that caused him to be substituted in the game at the Sánchez Pizjuán.

Physical workout

It was a tough session, with the players following the usual drills and warm-up with twenty minutes of special exercises that included sprints, starting and stopping. Then all but Touré, who left early, tackled a circuit course that involved several changes of direction and ended with a shot on goal. The session ended with shooting practice for everybody.