Six senior players are part of a training squad under Barcelona coach Xavi during international week.

As many as 18 players from 10 national teams are away from Barca, including the Spanish Under-21s, who called up goalkeeper Arnau Tenas and left-back Alejandro Balde.

Hector Bellerín, Gerard Piqué, Ansu Fati, Marcos Alonso, Sergi Roberto and Iñaki Peña were the first team players who stayed back and resumed training under Xavi. They were joined on pitch 2 of the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper by another player who has been with the first team since pre-season: Pablo Torre.

Barça's next game is scheduled for 1 October against Mallorca in Palma, the seventh round of La Liga.

The Cantabrian, who spoke with the FC Barcelona coach during the session, was one of the players who trained with the first team on Thursday but, from now on, he will do so with the reserve team.

On Sunday, he will make his debut with Rafa Márquez's Barça Atlètic in the league match to be played at the Johan Cruyff Stadium against Real Murcia (19.00 h).