In light of Eric Abidal's injury admission, Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola said he had faith his players knew their own fitness limits.
Abidal featured in France's Euro 2012 qualifier against Bosnia on Tuesday and later said he played with a hamstring strain, but Guardiola said he trusted his squad members to know when to play and when not to.
"The information we have from the doctors is that Eric Abidal arrived back here OK. He has been fine over the past two days since playing for France. We are not talking about kids here," the La Liga club's boss said.
"When players go to play for their nationalteams they don't go away with their coaches telling them that they can play in one game but not in another. These are big players who have played a lot of games and who have a lot of personal experience." Guardiola noted that Abidal missed France's initial qualifier against Albania on Friday before playing 90 minutes in their 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the defender available for Barca's home league clash against Racing Santander on Saturday.
"In the first game, Abidal didn't play, even though he could have, and it was a big game for France but he wasn't quite feeling right," Guardiola said.
"He played in the second game because he knows himself perfectly well, especially after what he has gone through. He knows when he is fine and then he plays."
"It's the same for the Spanish players (in Barca's squad) when they go to play for the national team. (Spain manager) Vicente Del Bosque has total freedom to play who he wants and whoever he wishes to have pick. They are grown men and this is why they all want to play for their national sides."
soccerway.com
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