Barcelona Players to Watch vs. Thailand

Following Friday night's 8-0 hammering of Santos at Camp Nou, Barcelona are back in action against Thailand on Wednesday.

It is the first match of their tour of Asia, with a Malaysian XI to come on Saturday.

Barca have named a 24-man squad for the trip, with Carles Puyol, Isaac Cuenca and Ibrahim Afellay the only first-team members remaining in Catalunya.

B team players Jean Marie Dongou and Frank Bagnack are among the travelling party though.

Here are some player who will be looking to step up their preseason performances in the friendly against Thailand.

Cesc Fabregas

Amid all the talk of his future at the club and a possible move to Manchester United, Cesc Fabregas emerged from the bench and almost grabbed a hat-trick against Santos on Friday night.

He'd already managed two clever finishes when he saw his free kick come back off the inside of the post.

Against Thailand he should once again revel at what he does best, playing football, rather than having to answer the constant stream of questions about transfer speculation.

Sergi Roberto

Sergi Roberto has had a decent preseason, but with the high standards he sets himself he will have been disappointed not to be more involved against Santos.

Previously a starter in the club's friendlies, Roberto only played the second 45 minutes against the Brazilians due to the return of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, and will be keen to find the levels of impact he was having before their return.

The quicker the 21-year-old progresses, the better for him and the club, as Barca are lacking a midfielder in his mould.

Neymar

For the foreseeable future, eyes are going to be on Neymar every time he pulls on the La Blaugrana's shirt.

Against Lechia Gdansk he made his first appearance, against Santos came he had his first rendezvous with Messi and his first assist, and there are plenty more firsts to come.

His first start and his first goal could come against Thailand on Wednesday.

Frank Bagnack and Jean Marie Dongou

Should they feature on Wednesday, it will certainly be worth keeping an eye on Barcelona B team players Frank Bagnack and Jean Marie Dongou.

The two have a lot in common; they are both 18, both are from Cameroon and both arrived at Camp Nou via the Samuel Eto'o foundation.

They play at different ends of the pitch though. Bagnack is a central defender while Dongou is a striker—a striker who has already scored three goals for the Barcelona first team this preseason.

Alexis Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez has had his fair share of critics, but this preseason—OK, it's only a series of friendlies—has really seen him come to life.

Against Valerenga he scored one and made three in the 7-0 win, while he was also on the score sheet against Santos on Friday night.

Whether it's the arrival of Neymar that has sparked the Chilean into life, or the fact he now feels more settled at the club, if he can continue his form into the competitive matches then he could silence a lot of his doubters.