Barca head for Scotland

[DavidMc]

Barca stars heading for Scotland

Hleb is already relishing training with his new team-mates
New Barcelona signings Alexander Hleb, Daniel Alves and Gerard Pique have been named in the squad heading for games against Hibernian and Dundee United.

The Spanish club arrive in their St Andrews training camp on Monday and face Hibs at Murrayfield on Thursday and United at Tannadice on Saturday.

It is a quick return for midfielder Hleb after his £11.8m move from Arsenal earlier this month.

Alves arrived for £23.5m from Sevilla and fellow defender Pique from Man Utd.

Pique returned to the Catalan club for £5m four years after heading for Old Trafford.

Despite speculation about their Barca futures, former Arsenal star Thierry Henry and fellow striker Samuel Eto'o are also in the squad heading for the pre-season training camp in Scotland and could again form a high-powered attack along with Lionel Messi. Cesc Fabregas explained a lot of things to me about this club

Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb

Hleb, meanwhile, courted controversy ahead of the trip to Scotland by hinting that former Arsenal team-mate Cesc Fabregas, who left Barca five years ago, could join him at the Nou Camp.

"Cesc Fabregas explained a lot of things to me about this club," the Belarus international told Barca TV. "His time in the academy with players like Pique, Messi and so on.

"He loves this club. Now he's at Arsenal, but who knows if in the future he'll come back to Barca?"

Hleb is looking forward to linking up with Henry - and meeting the rest of his new team-mates.

"The others? I know all of them because I've seen them on television and of course I like the way all of them play.

"I know that it's a fantastic team. With great players, great stars. What I want is to integrate myself, play some great football with them and, obviously, to win."

Barca, who will train at St Andrews University Sport Centre, will be together under the stewardship of new coach Josep Guardiola for the first time.

Xavi, Euro 2008 player of the tournament, and other members of Spain's victorious side will join the rest of the squad in Scotland on Wednesday.