Birmingham City v FC Barcelona Preseason Friendly Preview The first preseason friendly for FC Barcelona, the defending La Liga champions, will take place on Friday at 8.45pm CEST. The match will be held at St Andrew’s Stadium in Birmingham, which has been renamed St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park since 2024. The game will serve as a chance for Barça to test their squad and integrate new signings ahead of the new season. Barcelona’s squad has been training in England for the past few days after initial sessions in Spain. However, the team will not field a full squad, as players who participated in the World Cup have not yet returned to training. The match will feature a mix of experienced players and emerging talents, including South Korean forward Seung-ho Paik, who played in the last World Cup, and Argentine Luis Vázquez, a recent arrival from Getafe. Young prospects like Ebrima Tunkara, Ibrahim Diarra, Shane Kluivert, Brian Fariñas, and Orian Goren are expected to compete for a place in the first team. Birmingham City, under American ownership, are aiming to improve on their 10th-place finish in the Championship last season. The club’s squad includes players with experience in Spanish football, such as Carlos Vicente, John Solís, and Patrick Roberts, who previously played for Girona. The match will also be a chance for Birmingham to gauge their form ahead of their competitive season, as they have already played and defeated teams like Huddersfield Town, Solihull Moors, Burton Albion, Crewe Alexandra, and Northampton Town. The game will be streamed live on Barça Play and the club’s official YouTube channel. It will also provide an opportunity for Barça to assess players who missed the World Cup, such as Gerard Martín and Marc Bernal, who were not selected for Spain’s squad.#fc_barcelona #birmingham_city #st_andrews_knighthead_park #seung_ho_paik #luis_vazquez
