FCBARCELONA.CAT

23.02.2009 20:32

Stade Gerland, 494 days later

www.fcbarcelona.cat

The FC Barcelona players have once again set foot on the Stade Gerland turf, some 15 months after they were there last for a group stage match in the Champions League.

At around 19.30, with temperature around freezing point, the 19 Barça players that have travelled to Lyon appeared on the Gerland pitch, where the Champions League gets back under way on Tuesday. 494 days ago, on November 27, 2007, Barça were at the very same venue.

Seven newcomers

Almost all of the squad know the Stade Gerland from past experiences. Only Busquets and Víctor Sánchez, who were with Barça Atlètic last season, Pinto, who joined in January 2008, and four of the new signings (Hleb, Alves, Cáceres and Piqué) have never played before away to Olympique Lyon.

The fifth new signing this season, Seydou Keita, played at Gerland in his Ligue 1 days.