The four games for FC Barcelona in the USA against Inter Miami, Real Madrid, Juventus and the New York Red Bulls now confirmed in the month of July. The last time Barça visited North America was back in 2019 under coach Ernesto Valverde when they faced Italian side Napoli on two occasions, once in Miami and then in Ann Arbor in Michigan. This is how this summer's pre-season tour looks:
First stop, Miami
The match on July 19-7.30 pm EST- will be against Inter Miami, a club founded in 2018 and that made its MLS debut in 2020. The club’s ownership group is composed of Jorge and Jose Mas, as well as soccer legend and icon, David Beckham, and is managed by Head Coach Phil Neville, Beckham’s former teammate at Manchester United. The Inter Miami squad includes players such as Argentine Gonzalo Higuaín and former Arsenal player Kieran Gibbs.
Another Clásico in the USA
On 23 July (kick off time TBC) in LAs Vegas Barça and Real Madrid meet on US soil for the second time, having previously met on 30 July 2017 at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami before a sold out crowd of 64,000 in a game ultimately won by the Catalans, 3-2 with goals from Leo Messi, Ivan Rakitic and Gerard Piqué.
Juventus, third opponents
Three days later, on July 26, the blaugrana will be taking on Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus at the Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas (kick off time TBC). It will be the fifth time that Barça have met the Serie A side in the US. The first two were both in 1969, one on May 30 at the Yankee Stadium, New York, a 3-2 win for the Catalans, and another five days later in Chicago, which also ended in Barça victory, 1-0. The teams drew 2-2 in 2003 in Boston, and Barça were again victorious in 2017, this time 2-1 at the MetLife, New Jersey.
These matches against Real Madrid and Juventus are part of the Soccer Champions Tour, organized by the sports and entertainment company AEG, in which the Mexican teams Club América and Club Deportivo Guadalajara are also participating.
New York opponents to end the tour
On July 30, -7pm EST- Barça’s opponents will be the New York Red Bulls, one of the original members of Major League Soccer. The match will be played at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, with capacity for 25,000 spectators.
This will be the third meeting between the New Yorkers and the Catalans. During the 2006 and 2008 tours, Barça faced the New York Red Bulls at MetLife Stadium, formally known as Giants Stadium, with current FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández playing in both encounters. Barça won both matches: 4-1 in 2006 and 6-2 in 2008.
So Barça return to the USA, a familiar destination for the blaugranes over the last decade as it will their sixth visit since 2011, including the 2018 tour in which the Barça Women side also took part.