3 Barcelona Players to Watch in International Action This Week

Barcelona players head straight from an El Clasico battle into another week of international fixtures.

Fortunately, most of the friendlies and UEFA European Championship competitive games come toward the end of the week, allowing a short grace period before the players join up with their respective national teams.

Luis Enrique will no doubt be happy that most of Barca's players will stay relatively close to home, meaning fatigue shouldn't be an issue upon their return to club duty.

Let's take a look at three players who are in action for their countries this week.

Gerard Pique: Spain vs. Ukraine

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It's fair to say Gerard Pique has undergone something of a renaissance this season.

In hindsight, Luis Enrique deserves a huge pat on the back for getting Pique somewhere approaching his best form again, and as we wind down to the business end of the season, the elegant Catalan will surely play a big part in how successful this campaign will end up being.

A superb man-of-the-match contribution in El Clasico will surely be followed by a towering performance here from a player who is high on confidence and at the top of his game.

Vicente del Bosque will be keen to ensure Spain's World Cup was just a blip, and home advantage could be crucial in this one. The winner will open up a three-point game on the other as both sides look to rein in Slovakia at the top of Group C.

Things are delicately poised, per UEFA.com, so we should expect Del Bosque to play a strong starting XI.

Mykhailo Fomenko's side have a strong spine, but in goalscoring terms, there really is only one player Pique needs to concern himself with.

Three-goal striker Andriy Yarmolenko is the only striker to find the net during this current qualifying campaign, with midfielder Serhiy Sydorchuk the only other scorer.

The Dynamo Kiev striker is likely to cause problems for Pique and his colleagues if he's not closed down quickly when in possession, as Everton found out to their cost in the Europa League, per Dominic King of the Daily Mail:

"

Andrei Yarmolenko had made an impression on Everton’s players with his style and grace in the first leg and he opened the scoring with a quite brilliant goal, bending in a 25-yard drive that flashed past Tim Howard.

The execution of the strike was magnificent but, on the touchline, Martinez stood aghast. Why, the manager must have been wondering, was a player of his Yarmolenko's quality allowed to run 20 yards without anyone making a tackle?

"

Consistency has been a watchword for Pique's high-quality performances over the past few months, and he'll need to bring all of his experience to bear to help ensure a vital win for the Spaniards.

Neymar: France vs. Brazil

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Barca's Brazilian contingent don't have far to travel for their friendly against the French, and with both teams in great form, this game could be a classic.

Brazil come into the match—a repeat of the 1998 World Cup final, per Sky Sports—on the back of a six-game winning run in which they have conceded just once, while France are also unbeaten, winning four and drawing two. 

In reality, only pride is at stake; however, there should be some intensity and tempo to this game as both sides look to extend their fine recent records.

Didier Deschamps may start with the same 4-3-3 formation he used in the last match France played against Sweden.

That will play into Neymar's hands if, as expected, Bacary Sagna starts in the right-back berth. We saw quite clearly in the Champions League tie between Barca and Manchester City that the Brazilian has the beating of the defender, and that represents a real problem for Deschamps despite the game being billed as a friendly.

Per Jamie Holt of the Daily Mail, Brazilian manager Dunga intends to build a side around his new captain, Neymar, whose importance to the side is obvious:

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Our captain is not a surprise. The numbers are here to demonstrate that he is in a very good period.

Since he has been designated captain of the team, he has had an upgrade on his level of football.

He likes challenges, the more responsibility he has, the more he will develop and get better. We are very happy to have him; he is doing fantastic things in Europe.

"

Indeed, Neymar's club form has been consistently excellent this season, and his partnership with Lionel Messi continues to blossom.

Neymar has assumed a Messi-type role for the national team, in terms of responsibility and associated pressure, and he has taken it in stride, which is growing evidence of a more mature Neymar.

His goalscoring exploits continue too, with FCBarcelona.com noting his astonishing 42 strikes in 59 official games for the Canarinha and seven out of 12 scored from Brazil's last five friendlies.

"

Neymar has been elected as the best young player in the world, by 'France Football'. pic.twitter.com/DjGCHccprf

— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStats) March 20, 2015"

A French back line that could also include Eliaquim Mangala and Raphael Varane will need to be on guard to ensure Neymar doesn't escape the shackles too often, and doubling up on him isn't really an option, as he's shown an adeptness for the assist with Barca this campaign. 

Would anyone bet against him adding to his numbers in the Stade de France?

Claudio Bravo: Iran vs. Chile

Chile's Claudio Bravo travels to Austria for his country's date with Iran, a game that is likely to be more of a training match than a combative friendly.

Carlos Queiroz's side gained credibility after taking Argentina to the wire in the World Cup, and they remain unbeaten since, but Chile will be the best opposition they have faced over the last few months by some distance.

Their tilt at the Asian Cup ended in disappointment. After three wins from three in the group stage, they were ignominiously dumped out in the first knockout round on penalties by Iraq.

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Sardar Azmoun and Reza Ghoochannejhad represent the biggest threats to Bravo keeping a clean sheet, with both regularly on target recently, per WhoScored.com.

The game will also represent something of a farewell for Queiroz, who quit the managerial post last week, citing "external pressures," per Sky Sports.

If, as expected, Chile are able to remain on the front foot throughout, with Alexis Sanchez particularly to the fore, then Bravo is in for a quiet night.

He will, of course, need to remain professional at all times, because any lapses in concentration may be punished.