FC Barcelona played a friendly in South Africa against Mamelodi Sundowns (1-3), to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela. It’s precisely this aspect that Barça coach, Ernesto Valverde, highlighted in his positive evaluation of the match: "I liked our opponents a lot because of their enthusiasm, it was a very nice match and the atmosphere was fantastic. For us it’s an honour that we’ve been invited for such a celebration. We enjoyed it and wanted to win for the fans that follow us from so far away.” Valverde also noted that "it’s always a pleasure to be with them and it has been a great learning experience.”
‘Thanks for the support’
Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen wanted to thank the fans for the support that the team have received during the time that they've been in Johannesburg. "It has been a great experience for us and we are pleased to have won in front of the South African fans. We really liked the atmosphere and I can only say "Thank you for the support.” We hope to return soon."
