An early return to training
FC Barcelona has announced that its squad, under the direction of Hansi Flick, will begin training on July 13. This start will take place at the Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan Despí, where players will undergo the usual medical and physical tests. However, due to the World Cup, the number of available footballers will be limited, as many will still be competing or enjoying their holidays.
The big news is that the Catalan club has confirmed its training camp in England, specifically at St George's Park, from July 27 to August 3. This complex, located near Birmingham, is known for being the usual venue for the English national team's training camps and has been used by Barça on previous occasions, notably in 2014 and 2016.
As the date of the camp approaches, more players are expected to join the team. Among the contracted footballers who will not participate in the World Cup are Szczesny, Balde, and Christensen. Additionally, there is uncertainty regarding the immediate future of several loaned players such as Ter Stegen and Ansu Fati.
During this training camp, it is likely that the team will play several friendly matches. One already confirmed will be against Birmingham City, scheduled to take place at St Andrew's Stadium. This English club is owned by the American fund Knighthead Capital Management, where football legend Tom Brady is also a shareholder.
Although some key dates for this pre-season have already been established, there are still details to be defined. The FC Barcelona management is considering organising more matches outside Spain to offset the economic losses from not conducting a full tour this summer.
The opponent for the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy also remains unconfirmed, after Ajax was ruled out as an option. The official start of LaLiga is scheduled for August 14; however, teams with a higher number of World Cup players may begin their journey a bit later.
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