Barca ask Eto'o and Toure to consider not playing in Nations Cup

Barca technical secretary Txiki Begiristain revealed on Monday night, on RAC 1, that the club has already asked Eto'o and Toure to miss the African tournament.

 "We have the hope," he told the radio station, "that they will not go to the African Nations Cup."

   Begiristain admitted that "we know that this is complicated, and our intention is not to put them under pressure. We understand that we cannot create problems for them with their families and their federations, but in informal conversations we have let them know that it would help us a lot if they didn't go." 

   He then expressed his gratitude to star forward Ronaldinho for not having played in the Copa America last July.

 Both Eto'o and Toure are injured at the moment, and Begiristain said he was worried that playing for Cameroon and Ivory Coast in the January-February tournament would hinder their complete recovery.