Barcelona to face MLS' Inter Miami, New York Red Bulls in preseason friendlies in July

ByJeff Carlisle ESPN logo
Thursday, May 19, 2022

Barcelona will faceInter Miami CF in a friendly at DRV PNK Stadium on July 19, the MLS side announced on Thursday, with a second game to come againstthe New York Red Bulls on July 30 at the Red Bull Arena.

Sources have told ESPN that there are still negotiations for Barca to play games againstReal Madrid and Juventus. Negotiations are ongoing in the hopes that the three clubs that support a breakaway European Super League can play one another in the U.S. this summer.

Inter Miami's second-ever international friendly at DRV PNK Stadium will bring the five-time UEFA Champions League and 26-time LaLiga winners to South Florida for the first time since 2019.

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Their first international friendly was against Peru's Universitario de Deportes, with Miami prevailing 4-0 back in January.

"We look forward to welcoming Barcelona during their preparation for the 2022-2023 LaLiga season," Inter Miami chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson said. "The team is excited for the challenge to match up against some of the most talented players in the world."

Barca's squad features U.S. men's national team defender Sergino Dest.

"We are proud to return to the United States and play these two games in a country that is strategic for us as it is a territory where we have a large fan base and where football has experienced great growth in recent years, especially among the new generations," Barcelona's marketing vice president Juli Guiu said.

"This visit will allow us to get closer to our fans, share with them our values and our Barcelona feeling and it will be an opportunity for them to enjoy our team on the pitch."

Information from ESPN's Moises Llorens was used in this report.

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