Barcelona will fly 17,170 kilometers to Sydney, Australia, just days after the 2021-22 La Liga season ends.
The Spanish giants will face the A-League All Stars in a friendly on May 25 in an unusual season-ending trip.
While the match’s date isn’t great for Barcelona, the New South Wales government looks to have pulled some levers to attract the club to Australia.
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, Australia is up for business again, and this game is being seen as an ideal platform to showcase Sydney and Australian football.
“The FC Barcelona v A-League All Stars match will generate significant international interest and put Australian football back in the international spotlight,” the NSW Minister for Tourism and Sport Stuart Ayres said in April.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase both our domestic professional A-League and our beautiful Harbour City to the world.
“With over 396 million followers across its social media platforms, the club has the greatest social media presence of any football brand in the world. Bringing that star power to Sydney will draw attention to the city’s attractions and world-class events calendar from football fans all over the world, reviving the NSW visitor economy.”
Have the Catalans ever visited Australia?
Another reason for Barcelona’s travel to Australia is that they have never been there before.
The La Liga team has a sizable following in the country, and the club is ready to interact with them as part of this friendly.
An open training session the night before the match is being held at Accor Stadium and will be free for fans to attend.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer our fans in Australia the chance to see the players train before their game with the A-League All Stars in Sydney,” Juli Guiu, vice-president of FC Barcelona Marketing Area, said.
“By playing this game, we will be able to show our fans our club and its principles, and new audiences will learn about FC Barcelona and everything it stands for, as well as see why it has become a leader both on and off the field.”
Barcelona played pre-season friendly in Japan and the United States prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.
Has there ever been an Australian player for Barcelona?
No Australian has ever played for Barcelona’s senior team.
Peter Makrillos, who current plays in Denmark, did spend nine months within Barca’s academy as a junior.
A number of Australians have also played against the Catalans over the years.
Has there ever been an Australian player for Barcelona? In April of this year, Ajdin Hrustic played for Eintracht Frankfurt against Barcelona in the Europa League quarter-finals.
Maty Ryan, a goalie for the Socceroos, was also in the goal when Valencia lost 7-0 to Barcelona in 2016.
