Barthez, recently out of favour at United, made some fine saves after France were reduced to 10 men following Makelele's sendingoff in the 66th minute.
"If the less he plays, the better he is, it's fine with me," said Santini. "I am very happy with him."
Barthez has not played in the Premiership this season, with American Tim Howard starting all four of United's matches.
Makelele's miserable night for France was compounded when he was labelled a flop by the man who sold him at Real Madrid.
The 30-year-old was dismissed for a second bookable offence, which means he will miss the now meaningless final qualifier against Israel next month. But his red card came on a night when his football ability had been cruelly dismissed by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
Makelele left the Spanish capital under a dark cloud after falling out with officials at the club before his £16.6million move to Chelsea. Perez said: "He wasn't a header of the ball and he rarely passed the ball more than three metres."
Perez also said the arrival of David Beckham "had compensated totally" for the French international's departure and "the team is now stronger than it was a year ago."
Arsenal's Thierry Henry and Marcel Desailly were injured in last night's game but should be fit for tomorrow's matches against Portsmouth and Tottenham.
