The senior squad has arrived in Scotland for the first training camp of the pre-season in Saint Andrews. This summer, the players will clock up some 30,000 km during their pre-season preparations.
On Monday morning, players and coaching staff left for Saint Andrews (Scotland) where they will
stay until 28th July. The Barça party left the Camp Nou at 9.30 am and went straight to Barcelona
airport where they took a charter flight to Scotland. They are due to land at about 12.45 pm local
time and then take the 75 minute coach trip to their hotel.
Take-off at 11 am
The presence of the Barça players at Barcelona airport caused quite a stir among the
many tourists waiting for their flights and the players were kept busy signing autographs. The
flight left for Edinburgh at 11 am.
The Barça party is led by Board member Josep Cubells. However, both club president Joan
Laporta and director of football Txiki Begiristain plan to travel to Saint Andrews at some time
over the next few days.
Afternoon training
The first training session is scheduled for 7 pm local time. Frank Rijkaard has taken
25 players to Saint Andrews, including home-grown talent Dimas, Marc Valiente, Marc Crosas, Oier and
Olmo. During the six days of their stay in Scotland, the team will play two friendlies against
Dundee (26th July) and Hearts (28th July).
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Six miss Saint Andrews
A number of players have not made the trip to Scotland. Gudjohnsen (left knee) has stayed behind in
Barcelona where he will follow a specific training plan. Also sidelined by injury are Puyol and
Edmílson while Messi, Milito and Márquez, who all took part in the recently finished Copa America,
will join up with the squad after the tour of Asia.