​Barcelona’s pre-season plans for the new campaign are nearly set, as Hansi Flick’s side add another friendly to an already packed schedule. In addition to matchups with CE Europa and Birmingham City, the Catalan club are scheduled to participate in a triangular tournament that will also include Udinese and Nottingham Forest, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The first-team squad is due back on 13 July at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, where players will undergo the customary medical examinations and physical fitness tests before starting full preseason training. After roughly two weeks of sessions at the training complex, Barcelona will play their opening friendly of the summer on 24 July against CE Europa. That match will be played behind closed doors at the club’s training facilities.
Udinese has already been lined up as one of Barça’s pre-season opponents, and Barcelona will then travel to England for a preseason training camp from 27 July to 2 August. During this time, the team will base themselves at St. George’s Park, the English national team’s training facility. While in England, Flick’s side will face Birmingham City in a pre-season friendly on 31 July at St Andrew’s Stadium.
A third fixture had previously been reported, with Barcelona due to play Udinese on 8 August. The plans have since evolved into a three-way tournament. In addition to Udinese, Nottingham Forest will participate, with all three clubs set to compete in a tournament in Udine on 8 August. Barcelona are scheduled to play Nottingham Forest in this pre-season event.
Despite the expanding schedule, Barcelona could add more matches before the competitive season begins. The club has reportedly received proposals for friendlies in Rabat, Morocco, and Nairobi, Kenya, though neither fixture has been confirmed yet. In the meantime, Barcelona are also expected to organize another behind-closed-doors friendly during their England training camp, with Watford and Stoke City among the clubs being considered as potential opponents.
The pre-season will culminate with the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy on 19 August, though the opponent has not yet been officially announced. One of the clubs linked to the trophy is Al Ahly of Egypt, but no final agreement has been disclosed. As the calendar stands, Barcelona’s August schedule remains dynamic, with multiple permutations possible before the season officially kicks off. This extended preparation phase aims to sharpen the squad under Flick’s guidance and ensure the team is battle-ready for the rigors of the new campaign.