Real Madrid and Barcelona Set to Kick Off Pre-Season Tours in the US

 

Real Madrid and Barcelona Set to Kick Off Pre-Season Tours in the US

 

Real Madrid and Barcelona are set to travel to the United States this Sunday to participate in the Champions Tour after completing the initial phase of their pre-season preparations at their respective training facilities.

Real Madrid will fly to Chicago to face Milan at Soldier Field on Wednesday, July 31. Their next match will be the highly anticipated “El Clásico” against Barcelona at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Saturday, August 3, and they will conclude their tour against Chelsea at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Tuesday, August 6.

Among the 26 players Carlo Ancelotti is taking, Kylian Mbappé, the summer’s most talked-about signing, will not be traveling. Also absent are international players who reached the Euro 2024 semifinals, including those from Spain and England, as well as Uruguayan Fede Valverde. Brazilian players Rodrygo, Vinicius, and Militao will join the squad later. Brazilian sensation Endrick, who was presented a day before the team’s departure to the US, will be present. The squad also includes twelve academy players, such as Joan Martínez and Jesús Vallejo, with Fran González and Jacobo Ramón set to join later.

These matches will serve as crucial preparation for Real Madrid ahead of their first official title match of the season, the UEFA Super Cup, where they will face Italian side Atalanta on August 14 in Warsaw.

Barcelona will kick off their Champions Tour on July 31 against Manchester City at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. They will then face Real Madrid on Sunday, August 4, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, aiming to maintain their perfect record in US-based encounters. The tour will wrap up on August 7 in Baltimore.

These fixtures will be significant tests for Barcelona under new head coach Hansi Flick, who started on July 11. The team has faced setbacks, including Ansu Fati’s injury to his right foot, and injuries to Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Gavi. Spanish internationals Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, who are still on holiday after winning the Euro 2024, and players competing in the Olympics (Eric Garcia, Fermín López, and Pau Cubarsí) will also be absent.

Barcelona will travel with 31 players, 16 of whom are academy graduates. The squad includes three players who were out on loan last season: Clement Lenglet, Julián Araujo, and Pablo Torre. Gündogan and Raphinha will join the team in Orlando, with Koundé arriving on August 1 in Annapolis.

Accompanying the squad will be President Joan Laporta and members of the Board of Directors, with institutional and commercial events planned to bolster Barcelona’s presence in the United States, a “priority country for the global expansion of the Barça brand,” according to the club.

After returning to Barcelona on August 7, the team will play their final pre-season friendly against Monaco in the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on August 12, before kicking off their La Liga campaign on August 17 against Valencia at Mestalla.