Barcelona outcasts angry at club over being made to train separately from group – report

Barcelona outcasts angry at club over being made to train separately from group – report FC Barcelona have taken a series of difficult decisions this summer to reduce an increasingly crowded squad. With some departures failing to materialise, the Catalans ordered six players to train separately as they attempt to accelerate their exits and minimise the risk of injuries. There will be no change of plan. With just over two weeks remaining in the transfer window, the priority is for the players involved to find new clubs, preferably through permanent transfers. The decision, however, has generated considerable anger among several of the affected players, particularly those who have already played significant minutes for the first team, according to SPORT . Some of their representatives also believe Barcelona’s asking prices are currently too high, making it harder to find suitable destinations. Hansi Flick has acknowledged that these are uncomfortable decisions, but the German coach believes the club has to be bold to protect its sporting and financial interests. A decision that has unsettled the dressing room Hector Fort is among the players training away from the group. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images) The circumstances differ from player to player, but they are all now working separately. Barcelona’s reason is partly to avoid another serious injury, after Roony Bardghji ruptured his ACL while training at full intensity. The players currently separated from the main group are Marc Casado, Hector Fort, Guille Fernandez, Toni Fernandez, Tommy Marques and Jofre Torrents. Casado’s situation has become especially complicated The situation became particularly tense when Flick told Bardghji and Casado that they would not travel with the squad to the triangular tournament in Italy last weekend. There was disbelief and tension, particularly in Casado’s case. Several players who were selected for the trip were stunned by what they saw. It was an uncomfortable episode that has noticeably affected the atmosphere around the squad. Casado remains a popular figure among Barcelona supporters because of his commitment both on and off the pitch. The midfielder already knew that the club wanted him to leave this summer and had accepted that reality. He had been working with his agent, Jorge Mendes, to find the best possible solution. Casado has been left particularly frustrated. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Barça would like him to accept a move to Saudi Arabia, where Al Hilal are prepared to pay a substantial fee. Casado, however, had preferred to remain in Europe. Being removed from the first-team group could accelerate his departure, but ultimately the player will still have a say in where he goes. Barcelona insist the measure is for their benefit From the club’s perspective, the decision is intended to protect the players while keeping them fit and encouraging them to resolve their futures as quickly as possible. The players can continue training and maintaining their physical condition without being exposed to the same injury risk as those competing for places in the first team. But inside the dressing room, the decision has not been well received. The arrival of the international players was always going to create a major squad-management problem, and Flick also wanted a smaller group with which to work. That explains the club’s urgency, but it has not stopped resentment from building.