Following the European ‘minitour’ and two days off, Barça returned to action on Tuesday with a morning training session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The session was a smaller than usual affair, as the 11 players called up by their national teams were absent.

Tito Vilanova worked with ten members of the first team: Xavi, Villa, Pinto, Jordi Alba, Adriano, Dos Santos, Montoya, Fontàs, Bartra, and Puyol, who joined the group after missing the match in Bucharest with a muscle strain in his right thigh. Joining the training session were B team players Tello, Sergi Roberto, and Bañuz.

Also visible today on the pitch in Sant Joan Despí was Thiago Alcántara. The midfielder did specific work on the sidelines apart from his teammates. Thiago finished last season with trouble in his right leg (the distal third of the right tibia) after a direct knock.

The squad has begun preparing for the first Liga match against Real Sociedad, on Sunday at the Camp Nou. The team will hold its next training session on Wednesday morning, again without the international players.

Source: fcbarcelona.cat; Image: Miguel Ruiz (FCB)