FC Barcelona continues its preseason in Japan

FC Barcelona will travel to Japan this Saturday for the ‘FC Barcelona Japan Tour 2019 Presented by Rakuten’. Between July 20 and 28, the first team will visit the cities of Tokyo and Kobe, where it will play in the ‘Rakuten Cup supported by Scalp-D’, with games against Chelsea FC and Vissel Kobe. Also, for the first time on a pre-season tour, they will be accompanied by the Barça rugby team.

Ernesto Valverde’s squad will start their participation in the ‘Rakuten Cup’ on July 23 at the Saitama Stadium 2002, in the Tokyo metropolitan area, against Chelsea FC, while on July 27, at the Noevir stadium in Kobe, they will play against Vissel, where Andrés Iniesta currently plays. It will be the first time that the Barça legend has played against the club where his spent most of his life, and he’ll be facing several former team-mates. Vissel has two other former Barça players, David Villa and Sergi Samper.

The Barça rugby team will be participating in different training sessions with local teams, including one at the ground of Kobelco Steelers Kashwahama.

This is FC Barcelona’s first trip to Japan since 2015 and the first to Asia since 2013, and it also includes a large agenda of institutional and social events, which are part of the global strategy to market the club’s brand, and at the same time reinforce its social commitment, such an important part of the Barça identity that is channelled through its Foundation.

The ‘FC Barcelona Japan Tour 2019 Presented by Rakuten’ will feature the utmost institutional presence, led by President Josep Maria Bartomeu. The directors will be using these days to present different club projects, such as the Espai Barça, the Barça Innovation Hub (BIHUB), the Barça Academy, and the Barça Foundation’s activity.

 Likewise, this experience will bring the club closer to its fans in such a strategic territory as Japan, offering supporters the chance to enjoy the unique Barça style of play.

FC BARCELONA JAPAN TOUR 2019

Saturday, 20 July

 15:50: Departure of the FC Barcelona expedition on flight KE9912 to Tokyo

*Central European Time

Sunday, 21 July

 12.15: Arrival of FC Barcelona expedition at Haneda Airport, Tokyo

 Immediate transfer to the Hilton Hotel, Tokyo

 16:30: Welcome reception hosted by Rakuten for FC Barcelona at Ana Intercontinental Hotel in Tokyo, to be attended by FC Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu, and members of the Board of Directors

 Monday, 22 July

 10.30: FutbolNet Festival for Social Inclusion organized by the Barça Foundation and Konami at the Tachikawa Tachihi Arena, Tokyo to be attended by FC Barcelona first vice-president Jordi Cardoner and Barça ambassador Juliano Belletti

 16.00: Barça Rugby Clinic at the Waseda Rugby School, Waseda University.

 17.00: Training match between Barça Rugby and Waseda Club

 17.00: First team Press Conference at Machida Zelvia Stadium featuring two players

 18.00: First team training at Machida Zelvia Stadium. Open doors for the first 15 minutes

 18.00: Reception with the Barcelona Japan Fan Club at the Hotel Hyatt Regency Tokyo, with Josep Maria Bartomeu, FC Barcelona President, and members of the Board of Directors

 19:30: Rakuten Kids Clinic featuring 1st Team players at Machida Zelvia Stadium

Tuesday, 23 July

 10.30: Conference on Espai Barça + Catalan & Japanese architecture at the Cervantes Institute in Tokyo, with Jordi Moix, FC Barcelona third vice president and head of ‘Espai Barça’ project

 15.40: Visit by Rugby Team to NCCHD Hospital in Tokyo with Jordi Cardoner, FC Barcelona first vice-president, and Oriol Tomàs, Board member, to attend

 16:30: Opening of the Fan Zone at Saitama Stadium with Board Member Pau Vilanova and from 17:30, Barça ambassador Juliano Belletti to attend

 19.30: FC Barcelona v Chelsea FC at Saitama Stadium. Post-match press conference and mixed zone

Wednesday, 24 July

 12.29: FC Barcelona expedition travels from Tokyo to Kobe on chartered train

 14.51: Arrival in Kobe and transfer to Hotel Kobe Portopí

 18.00: First team training at Kobe Universiade Memorial. Open to the media for first 15 minutes

 19.30: Rakuten reception for FC Barcelona and Vissel Kobe, attended by Josep Maria Bartomeu, FC Barcelona President, and members of the Board of Directors

Thursday, 25 July

 14.00: Joint training between Barça Rugby with Kobelco Steelers at Kashiwahama Ground, with Board member Oriol Tomàs in attendance

 18.00: First team training at Kobe Universiade Memorial. Open to the media for first 15 minutes

Friday, 26 July

 11:00: Barça Academy Clinic in Nara featuring representatives of the four Barça Academies in Japan, Pau Vilanova, FC Barcelona Board member, and Juliano Belletti, Barça ambassador, in attendance

 17.00: First team press conference at Noevir Stadium featuring the coach and a player

 18.00: First team training at Noevir Stadium, open doors for first 15 minutes

Saturday, 27 July

15:00: Opening of the Fan Zone at Noevir Stadium Kobe and attendance of Barça ambassador Juliano Belletti from 16:00

18.00: Vissel Kobe v FC Barcelona at Noevir Stadium. Post-match press conference and mixed zone

Sunday, 28 July

06.50: Arrival at Barcelona airport

* Central European Time

*Training sessions indicated in programme will be partially open to the media. Any other sessions may take place behind closed doors