FCBARCELONA.CAT

02.01.2009 19:55

Alves and Messi back in training

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Dani Alves and Leo Messi have been the latest two FC Barcelona players to return to training this week with the Argentinian being held up returning from South America after incurring problems with their flights back to La Ciutat Contal.

The proposed airline pilots strike affected Messi’s plans to fly back and he only arrived in Barcelona once training had already started. Instead, the forward had to play catch-up after the session had begun at 18:30 on the pitch in Miniestadi.

Messi joined in with the rest of the first team squad with only 15 minutes remaining and then had to undergo a series of exercises on his own.

Alves present, Piqué absent

One player that did arrive back on time was Alves who, like Messi and Gaby Milito, finished his festive holidays on Friday. The Brazilian was the main player to be back at the start of the session, while the most obvious absentee was Gerard Piqué, who was out of action for the second day running with flu. The central defender, whose fever dropped from the 38.5c that it was on Thursday, is due to see club medics on Saturday to assess his condition.

One more session

The team will train for the last time on the morning of the game at 11.30am in Camp Nou. Eight and a half hours later, the team will take on Real Mallorca in the first game back after the festive period.