30.08.2011 18:33
Internationals off again
Jordi Clos
Fourteen first team squad members, plus B team full back Montoya are off on international duty, with just seven players left at the Ciutat Esportiva - and five of those are injured.
When the squad comes in to train on Wednesday there will only be seven players available - Pinto
and Fontàs, as well as the injured Puyol, Piqué, Maxwell, Adriano and Afellay, as the international
calendar again cuts swathes through Guardiola’s squad.
Friendlies and qualifiers
Éric Abidal will play two European Championship qualifiers with France – against
Albania on September 2nd and Rumania four days later. Valdés, Montoya, Busquets, Cesc, Xavi,
Iniesta, Pedro, Villa and Thiago are in the Spanish squad for the friendly against Alexis
Sanchez’s Chile in Switzerland and the qualifier against Liechtenstein, in Logroño next
Tuesday. Sanchez will be in action for Chile on Sunday in another friendly –against Mexico at
Espanyol’s Cornellà-El Prat Stadium.
Keita back with Mali
After a year’s absence, Seydou Keita will reappear for Mali against Cape Verde in an
African Cup of Nations qualifier. Leo Messi and Javier Mascherano both make long journeys for the
friendly against Venezuela in Calcutta on Friday and against Nigeria in Dhaka four days later.
Finally, Dani Alves’ Brazil face Ghana in London on September 5th.