Positive conclusions from the tour
FC Barcelona’s tour has come to an end. The Blaugrana Tour, Asia Edition, by Philips Ambilight TV (the club’s seventh tour of Asia) began with a scare but has ended in sporting and social success. The three emphatic wins against Vissel Kobe, FC Seoul and Daegu FC confirmed that the first team has hit the ground running this pre-season. Japanese and Korean fans alike have enjoyed three spectacular matches that showcased their passion for Barça.
15 goals!
From a strictly sporting point of view, all three victories carried a distinctive mark. The team delivered a true attacking display, scoring no fewer than 15 goals in three matches, evoking memories of the great Barça side that claimed the domestic treble in the 2024/25 season. The wins were also achieved with caution, as Hansi Flick made full use of squad rotations to safeguard his players’ health.
Indeed, the weather conditions in Japan and Korea have been tough, with high humidity and temperatures posing a constant challenge. Aware that the most important part of the season is still to come, the German coach did not allow any of his players to play more than 45 minutes per match, making all 11 substitutions at half-time in each game. Of the 30 players on the tour, 28 saw action, only Iñaki Peña and Marc Bernal remained unused.
Promising debuts
The tour also offered fans a first glimpse of five players in action in a Barça shirt. The three new signings (Joan Garcia, Rashford and Bardghji) and two youth academy prospects (Jofre and Dro) all impressed in these opening matches, which also produced an unexpected top scorer: Gavi.
Passion for Barça
Beyond the sporting achievements, the standout feature of the tour was undoubtedly the sheer passion shown by Japanese and Korean fans on the other side of the world. Both president Joan Laporta and coach Hansi Flick acknowledged this time and again during their speeches from Asia. And they were absolutely right.
The aim of bringing the Barça phenomenon closer to Asia has been well and truly fulfilled. The club held meetings with three Asian supporters clubs (from Japan, Shanghai and Seoul) and also connected with the Barça Academies in Japan and Korea, with two events bringing together 85 boys and girls in each country. Barça also made institutional visits, including a meeting with the Governor of Kyoto and encounters with the mayors of Paju and Daegu, the final stop on the tour.