FCBARCELONA.CAT

20.11.2009 13:47

Dos Santos called up

Marc Guillén / Vanessa Forns

Pep Guardiola has 18 players available for the game against Athletic Club de Bilbao in San Mamés as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Éric Abidal and Gaby Milito are all unavailable through injured and Touré has flu.

Barça trained on Friday at the Coitat Esportiva Joan Gamper in their last session before heading to Bilbao on Saturday morning ahead of the 22:00 kick off on the same day. Jonathan Dos Santos has been called up by Guardiola to step up from the B team to the first team squad.

After ten days with only a small number of players due to international commitments, the Barça coach has had two days to prepare his players, but Milito and Ibrahimovic, who was ruled out with a thigh strain, are both injured, while Abidal, who is also nursing a knock, and Touré have the H1N1 virus.

Keita and Jeffren

There has been some positive news for Guardiola as Jeffren and Seydou Keita were both given the green light after recovering from their respective injuries.

Henry trains

Thierry Henry returned to the training complex on Friday and worked normally with the rest of the squad after spending the day before doing recovery work in the main building.

Matchday itinerary

On Saturday the squad will leave Camp Nou at 10:30am and head to the airport where they will catch a plane and arrive in Bilbao at 12:45. The party will then stay in the hotel until they are due at the stadium and then return to Barcelona straight after the game.