Barcelona’s eagerly awaited pre-season friendly against Juventus took an unexpected turn when the Catalan giants were forced to cancel the match due to a stomach bug outbreak that has affected a significant part of their squad.
The much-anticipated clash was scheduled as part of the Soccer Champions Tour in California on Saturday evening.
The setback has come as a disappointment to Barcelona fans who were eager to see their team in action for the first time since their 2-0 victory over Vissel Kobe in a post-season friendly at the beginning of June.
A statement from FC Barcelona confirmed the unfortunate turn of events, stating, “A significant part of the Blaugrana squad has viral gastroenteritis.”
Reports from Spain indicate that up to 15 players have been affected by the stomach illness, and there are also alleged cases among the coaching staff.
Despite initial suggestions that the match might be rescheduled, Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, clarified that it would not be possible due to the tightly packed summer tour schedule. Laporta expressed his sympathy for the affected players and Barca fans, adding that the club would explore alternatives to make it up to the supporters.
Next on Barcelona’s pre-season agenda is a face-off against Arsenal on Wednesday. Following their tour of the United States, they are scheduled to take on Real Madrid and AC Milan before returning to Europe.
Their final friendly fixture is the Joan Gamper Trophy against Tottenham Hotspur, and they will commence their 2023-24 La Liga campaign against Getafe on August 13.
As for Juventus, their first pre-season friendly will now be against AC Milan on Thursday. They will later conclude their tour with a high-stakes match against Real Madrid on August 2.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side will then look forward to their opening Serie A fixture against Udinese on August 20 at the Dacia Arena.