Coutinho, Melo absent from Barça practice ahead of Real Sociedad clash

Barcelona, Sep 13 (IANS) Only Brazil's Philippe Coutinho and Arthur Melo on Thursday did not join Barcelona's latest practice, a training session to help the squad gear up for the upcoming La Liga clash against Real Sociedad.

Head coach Ernesto Valverde led the session held at Barcelona's Tito Vilanova Camp preparing his team to play the Whites and Blues on Saturday away at Sociedad's Anoeta Stadium, in San Sebastian, Spain, reports Efe news.

Other than the missing Brazilians, the session was attended by all available first team players including Spanish internationals Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto, Chilean Arturo Vidal, and Belgian Thomas Vermaelen, who were all back from international play for their respective national teams.

Barça's squad is set to have a final practice at Sociedad's stadium on Friday on the eve of the showdown.

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