Barcelona forward Kevin-Prince Boateng decided against the chance to impress during a voluntary training session at the club's Ciudad Deportiva on Thursday.

Coach Ernesto Valverde handed his non-internationals a two-day holiday but invited but handed those on the fringes an opportunity to turn up for training anyway- but the Ghanaian failed to show up.

Boateng, 31, is just among four Barcelona first-team stars who did not go on international duty.

The Ghanaian, who is on loan from Sassuolo was expected to take the opportunity to impress the coach by taking up the offer but decided to give it a skip, leaving Valverde and his staff with little to do but plan for the derby match against Espanyol on March 30.

The forward's role at Barcelona - to provide cover and occasional rest for Luis Suarez looks something of a false dawn after struggling at the club.

Since his arrival on loan in January, Boateng has made only two appearances for Barça, in the 2-0 Copa defeat away at the Sánchez Pizjuán and in the unconvincing 1-0 victory over Valladolid at Camp Nou, where he lasted an hour before Suárez was thrown on to add some impetus to the attack.