Xavi and Piqué in Catalonia squad for Venezuela friendly
The coach overseeing the Catalan side Gerard López has named 20 players with Rayo, Huesca and Valladolid failing to release players.
Gerard López announced his squad this morning detailing the 20 players who will face Venezuela at Montilivi (Girona) next Monday in a friendly game with a 2100 CET kick-off.
Gerard Piqué and Xavi Hernández are the leading name sin a squad that doesn't feature representative from three LaLiga clubs after Rayo Vallecano (Alberto García, Àlex Moreno and Jordi Amat), Huesca (Àlex Gallar and Enric Gallego) and Valladolid (Jordi Masip and Rubén Alcaraz) stated that they would not give permission for their players to travel given the respective relegation battles all three sides are currently involved in.
Valladolid boss Sergio González has also been advised by his club that he would not be permitted by the side to take up his role as joint coach of the Catalan side. Watford's Gerard Deulofeu alos misses out on the game as it clashes with the programmed training session at the Premier League side.
Catalunya squad vs Venezuela:
Goalkeepers: Isaac Becerra (Nástic) & Edgar Badía (Elche).
Defenders: Martín Montoya (Brighton), Gerard Piqué (Barça), Marc Bartra (Betis), Aleix Vidal (Sevilla), Dídac Vilà (Espanyol), Marc Cucurella (Eibar) & Marc Muniesa (Girona).
Midfielders: Víctor Sánchez (Espanyol), Xavi Hernández (Al Saad), Pere Pons (Girona), Óscar Melendo (Espanyol), Joan Jordán (Eibar), Àlex Granell (Girona), Oriol Romeu (Southampton), Aleix García (Girona).
Forwards: Sergio García (Espanyol), Bojan Krkic (Stoke City), Marc Cardona (Eibar).