International fixtures for FC Barcelona players

The Clásico now over, it’s going to be a quiet week at FC Barcelona with most of the first team squad away on international duty. No fewer than thirteen players have left for official and friendly matches around the world.

Marc Bartra, Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Pedro Rodríguez and Andrés Iniesta have all been named in the Spain squad that has a Euro 2016 qualifier on March 27 against Ukraine at the Sánchez Pizjuán in Sevilla. The two teams are joint second in the group with nine points each, both of them having lost to early leaders Slovakia. Four days later, Spain are at the Amsterdam Arena for a friendly with Holland, where they will be looking to avenge 5-1 defeat at the 2014 World Cup.

The other player involved in a European Championship qualifier is Ivan Rakitic. Croatia are at home to Norway in Zagreb on March 28. The Croats are currently joint leaders of their group along with Italy, and the Norwegians are just one point behind them in third. That’s the only fixture Croatia have scheduled for this week.

Leo Messi and Javier Mascherano are off to the United States, where 2014 World Cup finalists Argentina have two friendlies in the space of four days. They face El Salvador in Washington DC (28/03) and Ecuador in New Jersey (31/03).

Rafinha is with Brazil’s Olympic team for a couple of practice games against Paraguay at the Kleber Andrade (27/03) and Mexico at the Castelao (29/03), both in his home country. Neymar, meanwhile, is playing full international friendlies for Brazil in Europe, first against France at the Stade de France (26/03) and then in London against Chile and Claudio Bravo (29/03). Chile also have a friendly against Iran in Vienna on March 26.

Another of Barça’s goalkeepers, Ter Stegen, will be appearing for the Germany U21 team in friendlies against Italy (27/03) and England (30/03).