Africa

Keita To Ask Mali For Permission To Play Against Villarreal

The midfielder says he can make himself available for the league game on January 3.

Nov 2, 2009 2:29:09 AM

Lionel Messi, Seydou Keita, Osasuna, Barcelona (Getty Images)

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Lionel Messi, Seydou Keita, Osasuna, Barcelona (Getty Images)

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Seydou Keita

Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita says he is prepared to ask Mali officials for permission to leave the national setup for a few days to play for Barca against Villarreal in the Primera Liga tie at Camp Nou on January 3.

Keita is expected to link up with his national team after the FIFA World Club Championship in Abu Dhabi but with the 2010 African Cup of Nations not set to begin until January 10, the midfielder says he will be able to satisfy both club and country should the Blaugrana require his services.

"If [Pep] Guardiola wants, I will ask permission from my national team to play against Villarreal. Barcelona and Mali are very important to me and I want both to be happy with me," he is quoted as saying by Sport.

The midfielder is critical of the timing of the African tournament too as he believes it puts players in awkward positions with their clubs.

"You can find other dates that are not detrimental to the clubs and do not put the players in compromising situations," he added and also criticized the timing of World Cup qualifiers, which interfered with his summer holidays.

"I could not enjoy summer vacation because for three weeks we were with the national team despite playing only two games," Keita concluded.

Paul Madden, Goal.com

Can an African team win next summer's World Cup? Find out in the November issue of Goal.com Magazine.