Barcelona Aug 16 (IANS) Barcelona on Thursday held a training session without defender Gerard Pique in preparation for the team s first league game of the season against Alaves.
The 31-year-old Pique who recently announced his international retirement from the Spanish national team took the club s permission to travel to Orlando Florida reports Efe.
Barça coach Ernesto Valverde led the practice in which all the available first team players took part.
The Catalan team which won the Joan Gamper Trophy after beating Boca Juniors 3-0 on Wednesday is set to play Alaves at their home stadium Camp Nou on Saturday.

--IANS gau/sed