Pep Guardiola will be without 12 of his first team squad over the next few days as the international break for Euro 2012 qualifiers and friendlies kicks in.
Ahead of the key last few weeks of the season, Barça have a break as their players fly off to all
parts to play for their national teams, with a dozen stars missing from the training sessions over
the next few days.
Euro 2012 qualifiers
Seven of the twelve players missing this week will be with European
teams for Euro 2012 qualifiers. Six -Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Piqué, Valdés, Villa and Xavi -will
be with Spain from Tuesday as Vicente del Bosque prepares for the games against the Czech Republic
and Lithuania, whilst the seventh, Ibrahim Afellay, is with the Dutch squad for their two games
against Hungary.
Brazil and Argentina friendlies
The Argentineans Messi, Mascherano and Milito have a long trip to play with their
national side in New York and San José against USA and Costa Rica, whilst Dani Alves will only have
to make the journey to London, where Brazil play a friendly against Scotland next Sunday.
Bojan and Fontàs with the under 21s
Bojan is the twelfth squad member on international duty after he was called up by
Luis Milla for Spain’s under 21s, where he will be alongside Andreu Fontà for next
Monday’s game against Belorussia at Alcalá de Henares. B team youngsters Miño, Thiago and
Montoya are also in the under 21s squad.
All the international games with Barça players:
♦ Spain
(Iniesta, Sergio, Piqué, Valdés, Villa and Xavi)
Spain – Czech Republic (Friday 25 March, 22.00 Granada)
Lithuania – Spain ( Tuesday 29 March, 20.45 Kaunas)
♦ Holland (Afellay)
Hungary – Holland (Friday 25 March, 20.30 Budapest)
Holland – Hungary ( Tuesday 29 March, 20.30 Amsterdam)
♦ Argentina (Messi, Milito and Mascherano)
USA – Argentina (Saturday 26 March. New York)
Costa Rica – Argentina ( Tuesday 29 March. San José)
♦ Brazil (Alves)
Brazil – Scotland (Sunday 27 March, 15.00 London)
♦ Spain Under-21 (Bojan, Miño, Thiago, Montoya and Fontàs)
Spain – Belorussia (Monday 28 March. Alcalá de Henares)