Ok, I just got back from my trip to London and I'm a bit too exhausted to write much right now. Of course it is crunch time in the World Cup qualifiers and Leo Messi and Argentina have to get a result in Uruguay tomorrow night if they are going to be in South Africa next summer. A win will mean qualification while a draw should also be enough unless Ecuador thrash Chile, but given the recent form of Argentina with some pretty strange decisions from Maradona, nothing can be taken for granted. I've not had time to check on all the groups but it seems that most of our other international players will make it to the finals except for Seydou Keita and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. 

In other news Xavi is doubtful for Saturday's game at...

Just a quick post to let you know I'll be away over the weekend. As there is no game this week I'm popping over to London to catch up with family and friends. You can see how my life is ruled by football as I now choose my weekend breaks in accordance with the football calendar. I may find time to keep up with the news and to make a post or two but no promises. I'll be back in sunny Barcelona next Tuesday.

Anyway, there is never much to write about in these weeks, the newspapers have to scrape up any old story to print, this week we have Cesc Fabregas back in the news with a story saying he will be joining Barça next summer. Well, you never know, eventually Cesc may come back to us, but my rule is never to believe...

It really doesn't bear thinking about, but with just three qualifying games remaining there is a real danger that Leo Messi and Argentina will not qualify for next summer's World Cup finals in South America. Argentina are still holding on to fourth place in the South American qualifying group and if they can hold on then they will gain direct qualification and we will all be able to enjoy Messi's skills next June. However, if they slip down to fifth place in the group they will face a tough play-off game against the fourth team in the CONCACEF group (could be any of Mexico, USA, Costa Rica and Honduras), while a drop to sixth place would mean Argentina would not qualify for the first time since 1970.

You may feel that in the end Argentina are destined...

A mixed night for Barça's players on international duty last night. Sergio Busquets made his first appearance for the Spanish national team, coming on as a substitute in the 73rd minute of the 1-2 win in Turkey. Xavi and Pique both played the 90 minutes of the game which Spain won thanks to a last minute goal from Albert Riera. Spain are now unbeaten in 31 games, a run which goes back to November 2006.

It was a horrible night for Leo Messi and Argentina who suffered a humilliating 6-1 defeat in Bolivia, Messi played the entire 90 minutes. If anyone saw this game please send your comments about what happened because it is difficult for me to believe such a score. Is Maradona getting it all wrong? It was a better night for Dani Alves who played at...

Apologies for calling this weekend's international games "meaningless friendlies". I've been "disconnected" in England for a few days and the fact that the England team was involved in a friendly had me thinking that all the games were friendlies. Anyway, I'm back in Barcelona now and hopefully I'll be more on the ball. Barça still have several players away on international duty: Piqué, Xavi and Busquets are in Turkey for Spain's game there tomorrow, Leo Messi has a game with Argentina in Bolivia, while Dani Alves will be hoping to start at right back for Brazil against Peru. Martin Caceres is in Chile with Uruguay, Thierry Henry is with France for their game at home to Lithuania, Eidur Gudjohnsen is with Iceland in Scotland...

There was a supposed leak in one of the papers this morning which gave the provisional list of the 30 finalists for this year's Ballon d'or. There was a place of course for Leo Messi, and Xavi and Puyol were two of a handful of players from the Spanish team that lifted the Eurocopa at the end of June. However, there was no place for Andres Iniesta who I'm sure most readers here believe merits a place.

Tonight in Belgium, Iniesta scored Spain's equalizer in a game Spain won 1-2 with a late goal from David Villa. Iniesta's goal is pure class; it proves what a cool head the young man has, and hopefully we will see many more like it in the future. Iniesta was...

There were six Barça players on international duty yesterday and the star of the night was Thierry Henry who scored twice in France's 3-1 win in a friendly against Tunisia. Tunisia took the lead after 30 minutes but France hit back with goals from Henry in minutes 40 and 49. Karim Benzema scored France's third just before the hour. Henry played 83 minutes before being substituted by Malouda. Eric Abidal played the full 90 minutes in central defence.

Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets and Bojan Krkic were all in action for Spain's under-21 team who beat Switzerland 3-1 after extra time to qualify for the under-21s European Championship. Piqué and Bojan played the entire...

Not a bad night for the Barça players as Puyol, Busquets, Messi and Keita all scored to add to the two goals scored by Samuel Eto'o earlier in the day (see previous post). Spain won 0-3 in Estonia with good performances from Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol who scored Spain's third goal (Click here to see). There was not such good fortune for Pique, Bojan and Busquets playing for Spain's under-21 team who lost 2-1 away to Switzerland though Busquets did score Spain's goal.

Leo Messi followed up his headed goal against Sporting Gijon by nodding in Argentina's first goal after five minutes in the 2-1 win against Uruguay...

Up to 17 Barça players are on international duty this weekend and things have started well with big wins for Samuel Eto'o's Cameroon and Toure Yaya's Ivory Coast. Eto'o scored the first two goals in Cameroon's 5-0 win at home to Mauritius, the first goal came in the 26th minute while the second was from a penalty at the start of the second half. Toure played all 90 minutes in Ivory Coast's 3-0 victory over Madagascar. Both Cameroon and Ivory Coast have now qualified for the following stage in the qualifying stage for the 2010 World Cup. Also on international duty was our 17-year-old promise Gai Assulin who played for Israel's under-21 in this afternoon's 0-0 draw away to Italy.

As has become the norm in recent years Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta have all been named in the Spanish squad for next week's international matches against Estonia (Oct 11) and Belgium (Oct 15). There is no place, however, for Bojan Krkic who returns to the under-21 squad for the two games against Switzerland (Oct 11 and 14). Also named in the under-21 squad are Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets and Pedro.