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World Cup champs to skip Barca's Asia tour

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-13 16:47

MADRID - Spanish media reported on Monday that the eight Barcelona players who helped Spain to win the World Cup in South Africa will skip the club's Asia tour this summer.

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According to the sports daily Mundo Deportivo on its website, Barca's coach Guardiola will give a one-month break to the eight Spanish internationals, who played seven tough matches in around four weeks.

It was Andres Iniesta's late goal in the extra time of the final that helped Spain to beat the Netherlands 1-0 to lift the trophy. And Iniesta's club teammates, central defenders Pique and Puyol, midfielders Busquets and Xavi, as well as strikers Pedro and Villa, were all featured in the starting lineup, while Victor Valdes was the substitute goalkeeper in the Spanish squad.

Barcelona will travel to China and South Korea to have friendly matches between August 2 and August 8. Brazilian side-back Dani Alves and Argentine striker Lionel Messi, who also played in the World Cup, will be on the tour.