Barcelona's 'triangular' match? Unusual preseason fixture explained Udinese will host a unique preseason tournament on Saturday, featuring matches against LaLiga champions Barcelona and Premier League side Nottingham Forest. The event, known as the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup, will follow a round-robin format with three 45-minute games played back-to-back. The first match will see Serie A side Udinese take on Nottingham Forest at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy. Forest will then face Barcelona, with the Spanish champions concluding the tournament by playing the hosts. This format allows each team to accumulate 90 minutes of playing time, providing a condensed yet intense preparation for the new campaign. Barcelona’s official preview of the event described it as “FC Barcelona v Nottingham Forest v Udinese Calcio,” emphasizing its atypical nature. The tournament represents a novel approach to preseason training, though similar concepts have been explored in the past. Historically, Barcelona has participated in triangular fixtures, such as a 2002 competition involving Parma, Ajax, and the club itself. Those matches were 90 minutes long and spread over multiple days, differing from the current format. The Emirates Cup, hosted by Arsenal, is another example of a triangular tournament played over a weekend. While the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup is shorter in duration, it shares the same spirit of competitive experimentation. Preseason tournaments often involve teams playing multiple games in a single day, sometimes with different squads. For instance, Liverpool’s fringe players defeated Athletic Club 4-1 at Anfield last summer, while an alternate XI representing the Premier League champions beat a Spanish team 3-2.#barcelona #udinese #nottingham_forest #friuli_venezia_giulia_cup #emirates_cup
