You know the old familiar refrain from star athletes when they have just won a world championship- “what are you going to do next?” To which the answer is “I’m going to Walt Disney World!” Not sure if Manchester City and FC Barcelona will get any actual face time in with Mickey Mouse this week, but they will be in his backyard, as they’ll travel to Orlando, Florida.
This will be the first friendly of the preseason for Barca while City already have two in the books this summer.
Soccer Champions Tour 2024 FYIs
Manchester City vs FC Barcelona
Competition: club friendly
Kickoff: Tuesday July 30, 7pm EST, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL, USA
Preview Content for Both Clubs: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Buy the book: Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America
How much of an advantage will that prove for City here? Hard to say as both sides will still be missing several key players. Also, it’s preseason so the main goal is not getting hurt. The other goals are getting warmed up for the season, trying out formations and tactics, giving youngsters reps…way down the line is notching a victory.
This will be the first time wearing the captain’s armband for Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Starting XI Predictions
FC Barcelona 4-3-3
Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Hector Fort, Andres Christensen, Inigo Martinez, Alejandro Balde; Marc Bernal, Ilkay Gundogan, Oriol Romeu; Ferran Torres, Noah Darvich, Robert Lewandowski
Manchester City 4-3-3
Stefan Ortega; Rico Lewis, Callum Doyle, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Josh Wilson-Esbrand; Maximo Perrone, Nico O’Reilly; James McAtree, Oscar Bobb, Jack Grealish; Erling Haaland
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN.
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