Barcelona scrap Preston North End friendly as pre-season plans in England are brought to an early end

Barcelona’s planned friendly against Preston North End on Monday has been cancelled after the English side said they could not provide enough available first-team players for the fixture.

The match had been scheduled as part of Barcelona’s preparations for the new season, but Preston North End proposed fielding an under-21 side instead. Barcelona rejected that option and decided to hold a normal training session, bringing the club’s planned run of matches in England to an end.

The decision was also influenced by Preston North End’s upcoming cup tie against Huddersfield Town next week. The English club did not want to risk any of its players before that competitive fixture.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, the lack of first-team availability was the main reason for the cancellation. Barcelona will now train rather than play on Monday, while the club is considering bringing forward its return to the city by taking an earlier flight than originally scheduled.

The fixture would have been Barcelona’s third match of the current pre-season programme. The Catalan club had already played two games against Europa and Birmingham before the proposed meeting with Preston North End.

The match was due to start on the morning of Monday, 3 August, at St George’s Park in Birmingham. Instead, Hans-Dieter Flick’s squad will use the time for further preparation ahead of its next planned assignment.

Barcelona’s next match is scheduled to be a triangular tournament on 8 August involving Udinese and Nottingham Forest. The format will see Barcelona play for 45 minutes against each opponent.

Flick’s side will therefore focus on maintaining its training schedule and continuing its preparations for the forthcoming campaign after the change to its itinerary. The cancellation means the team will not complete the intended sequence of friendly matches in England, and the club’s return to Barcelona may take place earlier than initially planned.