Barcelona Cry Foul Over Thursday And Saturday Games

The Blaugrana are scheduled to play Villarreal at 10pm on Thursday evening in the first leg of the cup quarter final and then take on Athletic Bilbao at 10 pm on Saturday evening.

It violates the agreement that two games should have a minimum of two rest days in between, but more worrying is the fact that both are away games.

That would mean that Frank Rijkaard's squad would have to fly directly from the Valencian suburbs to the Basque Country on Friday, in order to be prepared for the match in San Mamés, thus being unable to return home for even a single day of training.

Clubs have been known to make an exception, but only if both games are at home, and this unilateral decision by the LFP has left the Barcelona bosses fuming.

For now, they have 'requested' the LFP if they can push the game against Athletic back until Sunday evening, as was supposed to be the case.

There has been no repsonse as yet, and the LFP may well insist that the calendar remains as it is.

Barça keeper Víctor Valdés refused to say much other than that those who had to play on the pitch were helpless on the matter.

"We cannot do anything as players," he stated. "We just have to play and be at places when we are told."