There has been another change to Barcelona's pre-season plans, with a proposed friendly against River Plate now officially cancelled. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, the possibility of Hansi Flick's team traveling to Argentina's famous Monumental Stadium has been ruled out. Instead, Barcelona are now evaluating other options, as they look to complete their pre-season schedule ahead of the new season.
The idea of a friendly against Liverpool is now back in the discussion. The match against River Plate attracted huge interest due to the prestige of the two clubs and the attraction of hosting the match in Argentina. However, according to reports, the offer has now been scrapped and the club have turned their attention to other potential matches after that option went away.
Barcelona have already planned part of their pre-season programme, but a number of dates remain vacant and discussions are ongoing over potential opponents. The most notable development in this regard is Liverpool. A proposal to host a friendly match with Liverpool in Nairobi has resurfaced, previously shelved due to concerns surrounding the Ebola-hit country. However, with the situation improving, the possibility of hosting the match has returned.
If plans go ahead, Barcelona will have a valuable test against one of Europe's strongest teams in the weeks before the start of the new season. Finally, the option of playing a friendly match in Rabat, Morocco is also under consideration.
While more matches are being discussed, many key dates have already been confirmed. Barcelona will conduct a training camp at England's St George's Park from July 27 to August 3, where they will face Birmingham City and another Championship side behind closed doors. The club will conclude its pre-season preparations with the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy at the Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, although an opponent has yet to be confirmed.
