Barcelona to play in Australia for first time

Barcelona will play an A-League All Stars side in Australia for the first time, the Spanish giants said on Wednesday.

On May 25, Xavi Hernandez’s team will face a team made up of the finest players from Australia’s local league at the 80,000-seat Stadium Australia.

“Being able to play this match will give us the opportunity to bring the club and its values closer to our fans,” said Barcelona marketing executive Juli Guiu in a statement.

“It will also give us the opportunity for new audiences to get to know FC Barcelona and all that it represents, which has made it a reference entity on and off the pitch.”

This is a major European club’s third confirmed visit to Australia this year.

Manchester United will face Crystal Palace and Melbourne Victory in a four-team competition at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in July, while Celtic will host a four-team tournament in November.