FOOTBALL – EUROPEAN football giants and Spanish champions Barcelona are considering holding an open training session in Bahrain as part of their Asian tour this summer, according to reports from Spain.
The five-time Uefa Champions League winners are set to hold a series of friendly games in Japan and South Korea this July and August, and it has been reported that a possible appearance in the kingdom has been proposed to the Spanish club.
According to the reports, the offer was being discussed although club sources have indicated that nothing has been finalised.
The sources also noted that there are no plans to play a friendly match in Bahrain.
An official at the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) could not confirm the development, while sources who are respected figures in the kingdom’s football community were also unable to share any information.
Barcelona announced earlier this month that they will be holding three pre-season matches in Japan and South Korea as part of their Asian tour ahead of their 2025-26 campaign. It will be the first time in six years that the La Liga outfit will be playing in the continent.
The games will kick off their preparations under head coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona are first set to face Vissel Kobe at Noevir Stadium in Kobe, Japan on July 27. They then travel to South Korea where they will take on FC Seoul at Seoul World Cup Stadium on July 31, and then play a last friendly against Daegu FC at Daegu Stadium on August 4.
A possible appearance in Bahrain by the Catalan giants would be the second time a major European club has visited the kingdom. In 2007, Italian powerhouses Inter Milan played a friendly game on the island against the senior men’s football national team, winning 6-1.
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