A special training session was held by the first team of FC Barcelona as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of Catalan Football Club Centre d'Esports Manresa. An enthusiastic crowd of about 5,000 people attended Wednesday's training session held in the city of Manresa, about 70 kilometres from Barcelona City. Many of the supporters had been children, wearing the blue and red Barca colours everywhere. The spectators created was a similar atmosphere to the public training sessions held during the recent pre-season tour of Mexico and United States.


One of the highlights of the event was the moment the players appeared from the tunnel onto the pitch. Barca´s star player Ronaldinho was as always the centre of attention. The Barca players were accompanied by the senior squad of Centre D'Esports Manresa and the two squads, plus the organisers of the centenary celebrations, posed together for a souvenir photo in the middle of the pitch.


After a photo shooting including the Barca players, the senior squad of Centre D'Esports Manresa plus the organisers of the centenary, the Barca players began their session. Both players, Santi Ezquerro and Lionel Messi did not take part and stayed in Barcelona to continue their rehabilitation programmes. Messi is carrying a knock to his left thigh, which he picked up on Sunday, while Ezquerro has also a muscle problem.


After the training session, five lucky fans won a public draw and got the chance to have their souvenir photos taken with the player of their choice.


The first team thoroughly enjoyed their trip to Manresa on Wednesday. Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes commented:

It was nice to train like that. It is nice for us all to see how children enjoy seeing the team.

Before the training session started, there was a minute's silence in memory of Itziar Crespan, wife of Club vice-president Ferran Soriano, who passed away last Sunday.