Overview
- Barcelona are confirmed to take part in the inaugural Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup in Udine, where they will face Nottingham Forest and Udinese in a three-team mini‑tournament.
- The event uses a short format of two 45-minute matches played on the same evening in Udine, rather than two full friendlies.
- The decision follows a local preparation programme that included training at England’s St George’s Park and a cancelled behind‑closed‑doors friendly with Preston North End.
- This is Barcelona’s first triangular tournament in 24 years, with the club last using the format in the 2002–03 preseason alongside Ajax and Parma.
- Coverage places the move in historical context — triangulars date back to 1947 and were common in the 1990s — and links the compact plan to the World Cup calendar and reporting about Hansi Flick’s reluctance to undertake long tours.