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Barcelona pre‑season after Tangier friendly cancellation

Updated 15 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-08 07:16 UTC → 2026-08-18 09:27 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Barcelona had initially confirmed a pre‑season friendly against Ittihad Riadi Tangier for 15 August, with negotiations with the Tangier federation in their final stage and the upgraded Grand Stadium set to host the match. The club was monitoring the migrant influx into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, noting that the situation could affect the fixture. On 6 ~~August~~ August, the club announced the cancellation of the Tangier match, citing the “current uncertainty and circumstances” linked to the Ceuta migration crisis. The decision is expected to cost about €4.5 million in appearance fees. Barcelona will instead complete its preparation with a 45‑minute triangular tournament in Udine, Italy, against Nottingham Forest and Udinese, and will still stage the Joan Gamper Trophy versus Al Ahly on 19 August. A previously arranged friendly with Preston North End remains called off, and the club continues to look for an alternative opponent before the La Liga opener on 23 August. Al Ahly is currently in Spain for a training camp to prepare for the Joan Gamper Trophy at Spotify Camp Nou, which marks the first time an Egyptian and African club has participated in the tournament. While President Mahmoud El‑Khatib will not travel to Spain, several board members and coach Hussein Amouta are overseeing the camp. Ahead of the match, former Al Ahly star Reda Shehata noted that recent administrative changes and new signings have raised fan expectations, emphasizing that defensive stability must be supported by pressing from the attacking lines.

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