FCBARCELONA.CAT

12.07.2008 10:24

16 back in on Monday

Sandra Sarmiento

A total of 16 first team players are set to return to pre-season training on Monday for the start of the new campaign, while those involved in summer internationals will join up with the squad later on.

On Monday at 9am , the 2008-09 term begins and the main priority for the club is to ensure that everyone is in peak condition ahead of the qualifying phase of the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola's side will play five pre-season friendlies before their first European encounter and next week sees the players return to work. On July 14th some 16 players will return, then on Tuesday Lionel Messi will be back, following by Seydou Keita, Dani Alves and Samuel Eto'o will return on July 19 and the Euro 2008 participants will report for duty on July 23.

Eight weeks away

They have spent eight weeks without training after the previous season finished on May 17 against Real Murcía, but despite that the players are all expected to return to training in very good condition with Víctor Valdés, Oleguer Presas, Bojan Krkic, Ronaldinho, Eidur Gudjohnsen, José Manuel Pinto and Rafa Márquez.

Euro stars

On June 17, France's participation in the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland ended. Raymond Domenech's team did not move past the first round after losing against Italy and so Éric Abidal and Thierry Henry will return to work on Monday.

The new signings

It will also be the first time that the new additions have met up as Gerard Piqué and Martín Cáceres attend the first day of pre-season. Piqué has already had years of experience at Camp Nou after growing up through the youth teams, while the Uruguayan must begin a period of adaptation.

Messi back early

Some players have been involved in World Cup 2010 qualifiers since the end of the season and will go back a bit later. Messi has had permission to be back on July 19, but he has brought that forward to July 14 now, while Keita, Alves and Eto'o will all be back on the 19th.

Also, the Spain internationals, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Carles Puyol, who helped win Euro 2008, will be back on July 23 at 9am and will travel on the trip to Scotland.

On the mend

A total of four players ended last seasons with injuries. Gabriel Milito underwent surgery on May 13 to fix a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee. Touré Yaya had an operation during the same day to solve his slipped disc problem. Sylvinho picked up a knee injury on May 7 in the game against Real Madrid, while Albert Jorquera was injured on December 29 last year in San Mamés, when he damaged knee ligaments.

Crosas can leave

Pep Guardiola has already told Marc Crosas, who spent last season on loan at Olympique Lyonnais, that it is best for his future if he looked for a new club. During Piqué's presentation the new coach stated: "We will try to find him a way out. But Crosas is a first team player and he will come with us for pre-season training in Scotland."