FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta says the membership is “open” and “out there” to play an official league match in america subsequent season.
In an interview with from Seoul through the membership’s Asian tour, Laporta says discussions had been held in regards to the potential fixture over the past 12 months and that La Liga – Spain’s high league – is happy in regards to the alternative.
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“We’re delighted to go to america yearly as a result of we really feel liked, we really feel revered as a membership, now we have loads of followers there,” Laporta says.
“For a La Liga (match), I feel that will probably be very attention-grabbing. I do know that the president of La Liga (Javier Tebas) is basically eager on celebrating this official recreation within the States.
“And for (Barcelona), will probably be an amazing honor, an amazing honor to take part on this occasion that will probably be an official recreation of La Liga, however on the identical time will probably be an enormous occasion within the States.”
Laporta says there have been plans mentioned final season about holding a recreation within the US, however that issues by no means bought formalized.
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He advised CNN Sports activities this week that he had “heard” there may very well be one other alternative this season and that he could be blissful for Barça to be concerned.
“We can be found and open. We’re on the disposal of La Liga on this sense,” he provides.
Whereas a aggressive Spanish league match has by no means been performed abroad, this isn’t the primary time that the thought has been mooted by these in cost.
In 2018, La Liga introduced it was planning to carry an official match within the US, however the proposal was rapidly shut down.
Spanish gamers on the time have been “” by the choice and even threatened strike motion. The proposal, which concerned a recreation between Barça and fellow Catalan membership Girona, was then shelved by La Liga boss Tebas.
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Now, although, it seems the league is pushing the thought as soon as once more.
“We’re a membership that belongs to La Liga, and we’re accountable as a result of we wish to commercialize La Liga as finest as potential. Once more, I’m open and (Barcelona) is on the disposal of La Liga,” Laporta says.
Yamal is a ‘genius’
If a recreation involving the Blaugrana is hosted by the US subsequent season, many followers will flock to whichever stadium to observe the membership’s star participant, .
The 18-year-old – who has just lately been given the legendary No. 10 shirt – has been nothing in need of magical in his brief profession to this point and has some claiming that he’s the most effective participant on the earth already.
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The winger has received two La Liga titles and helped Spain to European Championship glory in 2024, whereas with an array of spectacular performances.
Barça star Lamine Yamal takes half in warmups earlier than a preseason pleasant towards Vissel Kobe in Japan. – Paul Miller/Getty Pictures
Each his impression on the pitch and his taking part in fashion have earned him comparisons with former Barça talisman Lionel Messi, who is taken into account by many as the best soccer participant of all time.
Messi is now taking part in within the US with Inter Miami and has been behind an enormous reputation enhance within the MLS.
Laporta, although, is cautious of evaluating Yamal to Messi and needs the teen to as a substitute give attention to his personal recreation.
“Lamine Yamal is Lamine Yamal, Leo Messi was Leo Messi,” Laporta says.
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“Leo Messi has been the most effective participant on the earth, and Lamine, I feel that in his place these days, is the most effective participant on the earth.
“Messi received every thing, Messi did every thing, for me most likely the most effective participant in historical past, however the world continues and seems new geniuses. The brand new geniuses which are showing these days are gamers like Lamine Yamal, like Pedri, like Raphinha.”
He provides: “Within the case of Lamine, there will not be too many gamers like him as a result of he’s a genius and he’s the highest degree.”
Yamal just lately signed a with FC Barcelona, a deal which retains the teenage famous person with the Blaugrana till the top of the 2030-31 season.
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In an with CNN Sports activities in January, the phenom mentioned that Barça was the “membership of my life” and that he was having fun with his time on the Catalan membership.
Laporta says he’s aware of working with the participant’s household and agent to assist the ahead have the most effective profession potential and is leaning on his expertise with Messi as a method of making the very best setting for Yamal to proceed flourishing.
“I feel that a very powerful factor is that he enjoys the group. It is vitally necessary that he feels good, that he can keep together with his colleagues on the pitch, having fun with taking part in soccer, and out of the pitch, having fun with as a boy that likes a standard life,” Laporta says.
“He’s very skilled and he is aware of that to be the most effective and to be on the high, he must be match, he wants to coach, he must observe the recommendation of the coach and the individuals which are round him and principally to really feel blissful, to really feel that he’s having fun with taking part in soccer.”
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Marcus Rashford signing
Marcus Rashford is trying to revive his profession at Barcelona this season. – David Ramos/Getty Pictures
Barça is at present in Asia on a preseason tour – the place the Blaugrana beat FC Seoul 7-3 on Thursday earlier than taking part in Daegu FC on August 4 – because it prepares for one more powerful marketing campaign in each Spain and the Champions League.
Laporta is hoping to construct on a home double-winning season final time period and is happy to see a few of the new additions to the squad, together with English ahead Marcus Rashford.
The striker joined from Manchester United on a season-long mortgage earlier this month, in a bid to revive his profession which has stagnated in latest seasons.
The Barça president says Rashford was as soon as the most effective participant in England and hopes a transfer to completely different league can carry a few return of that type.
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“We signed this participant as a result of he was actually dedicated to coming to Barcelona,” Laporta says.
“He’s quick, he’s sturdy, he’s dedicated, and once more, he did his finest in an effort to signal for Barcelona. He was pushing his agent, he was speaking to the membership, and on the identical time to Manchester United.”
Fierce rival Actual Madrid will as soon as once more look to get in the way in which of Barcelona’s pursuit of each home and European glory subsequent season.
Former Madrid star midfielder and Bundesliga-winning coach with Bayer Leverkusen Xabi Alonso has taken over the reins at Los Blancos and will probably be tasked with molding the group of world-class gamers – together with Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr. and Jude Bellingham – within the Spanish capital right into a successful machine.
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Laporta, although, is assured the Blaugrana can hold the upper-hand over their rival, as they did final season.
“I feel that we have been a greater group than them final season. They’ve nice gamers, they usually signed a brand new coach and we’ll see, however Actual Madrid will at all times will probably be our rival,” he says.
“Particularly within the Spanish league, I feel that will probably be an amazing competitors as a result of each groups are giving good soccer.”
The reigning La Liga champion will kick off its new league marketing campaign towards Mallorca on August 16.
Fixture congestion
Whereas Laporta is open to new concepts in regards to the location the place video games is perhaps performed, he does admit that the “soccer calendar is just too tight.”
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His feedback come after a summer time by which many membership groups have been concerned within the expanded FIFA Membership World Cup, leaving gamers with a fair smaller window to recuperate and put together for the 2025-26 season.
It continues a pattern of an ever-increasing variety of matches top-level gamers are anticipated to compete in, between the increasing membership recreation and nationwide group commitments.
And the Barça boss believes soccer authorities must discover a technique to “cut back the variety of video games” to assist gamers and golf equipment alike.
“As a membership, now we have to have extra gamers than normally now we have (to play extra matches), and because of this now we have to take a position extra and because of this now we have to do our greatest in an effort to have a extra aggressive squad,” he mentioned.
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“In fact, they’re proficient gamers but additionally they’re human beings and there’s a restrict. They need to have time to relaxation and have time to get pleasure from and I feel that may be a matter to take into accounts.”
Laporta’s feedback to CNN Sports activities come as Actual Madrid had a request to push again its opening recreation of the brand new season denied by the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF), .
Los Blancos had requested for his or her house match towards Osasuna on August 19 to be postponed due to their participation within the Membership World Cup – the place it misplaced to Paris Saint-Germain within the semifinals on July 9 – however Madrid’s attraction was reportedly rejected.
CNN Sports activities has contacted RFEF and Actual Madrid for remark.
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Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera admitted that the turnaround for Actual was not sufficient for its gamers to be absolutely ready.
“Any individual with somewhat little bit of considering understands that it’s not sufficient time for Madrid to get to the sport at 100%,” Herrera advised Cadena SER’s “” program. “It appeared like a logical resolution for us.
“From my viewpoint, I feel it hurts Actual Madrid. … I’m interested by my work colleagues and if I have been of their footwear, I would really like individuals to know I couldn’t get to the match at 200%.”
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