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Barcelona duo miss Spain friendly

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Xavi, above, is also doubtful for Barca's Spanish Super Cup first leg.

MADRID, Spain -- Barcelona players Carles Puyol and Xavi will miss Spain's friendly international against Iceland on Tuesday because of minor injury problems following the club's recent tour of the United States.

"Puyol is suffering from a bruise on his hip and Xavi is following a special training program after his knee injury last season," national team doctor Genaro Borras told Radio Marca on Monday.

Both players remained in Spain on Monday after undergoing a medical examination by Borras while the rest of the team left for Iceland.

Borras added: "Puyol isn't the sort of player to drop out of games like this and I doubt if he would have been able to play. If Xavi had traveled he would have missed three days of his recovery program."

The pair are also doubtful for Barcelona's opening fixture of the season against Espanyol in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday.

Spain coach Luis Aragones has not called up any replacements for the match in Reykjavik.

Xavi's absence means that Celta Vigo midfielder Borja Oubina is likely to get a chance to make his debut after being drafted into the squad for the first time.

The Iceland match will be Spain's first game since their exit from the World Cup, at the hands of France during the first knockout round.

Spain will also meet Iceland in Euro 2008 qualifiers in March and September of next year.

They open their campaign with games against Liechtenstein and Northern Ireland in September.

Denmark, Sweden and Latvia are their other opponents in Group F.

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