The Liga and European champions got the 2011/12 season off to a start this morning with the traditional medical examinations at the Ciutat Esportiva and after that in the Camp Nou medical centre, where they did different exercises and were also had their weight and height checked.

Carles Puyol, who is still recovering from injury, and Bojan, who has been allowed some time to sort out his future, were excused from the session, and obviously the five player that have been playing at the Copa America (Messi, Mascherano, Milito, Alves and Adriano) were also away.

Good atmosphere

The players were wearing the new yellow change strip, and there were smiles all round as they got together for the first time in weeks. They were divided into four different groups for the Camp Nou tests. There were two groups of five (Valdés, Pinto, Piqué, Iniesta and Xavi, in one group and Sergio, Villa, Pedro, Keita and Abidal in the other) and two groups of three (Jeffren, Maxwell and Afellay, plus Thiago, Fontàs and Jonathan dos Santos).

First training this evening

Barça have their first training session this Monday evening at 19.00 in the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. Only the first quarter of an hour will be open to the media.