Spain manager names 8 Barça players to play against England and Costa Rica

Barcelona (FCB).- Barça players Valdés, Puyol, Piqué, Sergio Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Cesc and Villa will join up with the rest of the Spain squad on Thursday for the two friendlies. This will allow Barça Manager, Pep Guardiola to play them in Wednesday's Spanish Cup game against Hospitalet and fulfil the Spanish Federation's rules to field at least seven first team squad members for Cup ties.

Both Cesc Fàbregas and Andrés Iniesta return to the Spain squad after missing out with injury for the last call up, whilst Pedro's current ankle injury means he is omitted. Spain, who have already qualified for next summer's European Championships, will play against England at Wembley on Saturday and Costa Rica in San José on the following Tuesday.

South American and Under 21 players miss Cup game

Although the Spanish players will be available for the Wednesday’s Cup game, as well as Keita and Abidal, Guardiola will be without Messi and Mascherano (Argentina), Alves and Adriano (Brazil) and Alexis (Chile) who have all been called up for their national sides.

The young players involved in the Under-21 European Championship qualifiers against Estonia and Switzerland - Thiago Alcántara, Martín Montoya, Marc Bartra, Marc Muniesa, Carles Planas and Isaac Cuenca -will also miss the Spanish Cup game.