Manchester City Prepares for Showdown with Barcelona and Final Friendly Against Chelsea
Manchester City is set to resume their pre-season campaign with a high-profile match against Barcelona, followed by a final friendly against Chelsea. Despite an entertaining pre-season in the United States, City has yet to secure a win, having scored five goals but suffered defeats to both Celtic and AC Milan.
City’s first match saw them edged out by Celtic in a 4-3 thriller, while their second outing ended in a 3-2 loss to AC Milan, with Marco Nasti netting the winner for Milan late in the game. The upcoming match against Barcelona holds special significance for Pep Guardiola, who began his illustrious playing career at the Catalan club and managed them from 2007 to 2012.
In his pre-match press conference, Guardiola expressed his deep gratitude towards Barcelona: “It doesn’t matter if it’s a friendly or an official game against Barcelona, for me personally, for the Club and team it will always be so special. I am here thanks to Barcelona – they gave me absolutely everything. It’s not words to be nice to Catalonia, it is the truth.”
How to Follow the Match Live
When and Where:
- Date: Early hours of Wednesday, July 31
- Kick-Off Time: 12am UK time (7:00pm local time)
- Venue: Camping World Stadium, Orlando
Television and Streaming:
- UK Viewers: The match will be broadcast live on CITY+, with coverage starting an hour before kick-off. Special guests Nedum Onuoha and Izzy Christiansen will join Natalie Pike for pre-match analysis, while Joleon Lescott and Shaun Wright-Phillips will provide insights from the stadium.
Match Pass:
- Purchase: A match pass can be purchased from Manchester City’s official website. Link to match pass.
Match Highlights:
- Availability: Highlights will be available on Manchester City’s YouTube channel shortly after the match concludes.
As Manchester City gears up for these crucial pre-season fixtures, fans can look forward to seeing how the team shapes up ahead of their first competitive match of the season in the Community Shield against Manchester United on August 10.
