Barcelona have chosen the Midlands for their pre‑season, with manager Hansi Flick bringing the La Liga champions to St George’s Park in Staffordshire. The squad, a 30‑man group that includes World Cup winner Lamine Yamal and new signing Karim Adeyemi, is on break after Spain’s triumph.

Two friendlies against Championship sides bookend the week: a home fixture against Birmingham at St Andrew’s on Friday, and a closed‑door match with Preston at St George’s Park on Monday. The choice of the UK over a transatlantic tour was driven by the World Cup schedule and the need for high‑quality opposition.

The squad mixes senior stars, Barcelona B and under‑19 players, with fringe names such as Orian Goren and Marc‑Andre ter Stegen. Despite injuries to Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López, the team remains a mix of experience and youth, with the B‑team already warmed up in Birmingham.

Barcelona will return to Italy for two 45‑minute matches against Nottingham Forest and Udinese later in August, continuing a pre‑season that balances recovery, competition and tactical work.