FC Barcelona to play first pre-season friendly against Olot on July 13

FC Barcelona are to play their first 2022/23 pre-season friendly against Unió Esportiva Olot on July 13, coinciding with the La Garrotxa club's centenary year. The match will be played at the Olot Municipal Stadium, kickoff 7pm CEST.

Barça actually begin the 2022/23 pre-season on July 4 with the relevant medical tests and the first training session. The game against Olot will be the first game of the summer for the Catalans and six days before the first of four games for FC Barcelona as part of their U.S.A. tour (July 19 in Miami).

Olot, promoted to the Segunda RFEF

Xavi Hernández' squad begin their pre-season schedule against a team just promoted to the Segunda RFEF. The team from the La Garrotxa region, coached by Manix Mandiola, finished second in group V of the Tercera RFEF, before beating Sant Andreu and Girona B in the league playoffs. Promotion to Segunda RFEF was confirmed by a 1-0 win against the CD Tenerife B team on May 22 in Las Rozas.

Olot friendly 42 years since the previous meeting

The game in Olot will be the first between the clubs since 1980. The game on May 7, 1980 ended with a 1-3 win for Barça, which was the last of 10 games between the teams. The other games were played in 1913, 1923, 1939, 1948, 1949, 1956, 1963, 1968 and 1972, with all matches played in Olot. The team from Garrocha were founded in 1921 and celebrated their centenary during the 2021/22 season.

Away from the first team, Barça B and UE Olot faced each other last season, with the home side winning each game 2-1.