Barcelona

CataloniaOnly Masip and Sergi Roberto from Barcelona

Xavi is called up for Catalonia vs. Tunisia

Xavi: Looking back I realise how lucky I was

Although he now plays for Qatar's Al Sadd, former Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has been called up by Catalonia coaches Gerard Lopez and Sergio Gonzalez to face Tunisia in the friendly on December 28.

On Friday afternoon, the squad list was released for the match at the Estadi Gerardense de Montilivi and only two Barcelona players were on it - goalkeeper Jordi Masip and defender Sergi Roberto.

Six from city rivals Espanyol made the cut: defender Víctor Alvarez, midfielders David Lopez , Aaron Martin and Marc Roca and strikers Alvaro Vazquez and Gerard Moreno.

Celta Vigo's Sergi Gomez and Andreu Fontas, Granada's Sergi Samper and Javi Marquez, Sergio García (Olympiacos), Pere Pons (Girona), Gerard Valentin (Nastic), Edgar Badia (Reus), Oriol Riera (Osasuna), Marc Crosas (Tenerife), Víctor Rodriguez (Sporting Gijon) ), Pol Lirola (Sassuolo) and Joan Verdu, currently without a team, have also been summoned.

"We wanted to reward the three teams of the Segunda (Second) Division and that is why we have players who will debut in the national team," Gerard Lopez said.

"It is a way of valuing all the work they do in their teams and for all of Catalan football."

Among those missing this year are Barcelona's Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Aleix Vidal.

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