FC Barcelona has history versus International Champions Cup rivals

FC Barcelona has history versus International Champions Cup rivals

Barça face four familiar teams — Manchester United, Fiorentina, the Los Angeles Galaxy, and Chelsea — in the preseason

FC Barcelona's 2015/16 season will start off with a preseason tour of the United States, where they will participate in the 2015 International Champions Cup and square off against some familiar faces. Barça play the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on 21 July, followed by Manchester United at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on 25 July, and then Chelsea at FedExField in Landover, Maryland on 28 July. Barça fly to Florence, Italy to take on Fiorentina in the final preseason friendly, also a part of the International Champions Cup, on 2 August.

Here's a look at Barça's history versus this summer's preseason rivals:

Los Angeles Galaxy

Despite several tours in the USA, FC Barcelona has only faced the Los Angeles Galaxy once, a friendly on 1 August 2009 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the same place they'll play this year. The Catalans won 2–1 with goals from Pedro and Jeffren. David Beckham scored on a free kick for the Galaxy.

Manchester United

Barcelona and Manchester United have played in several European competitions, but also in two friendlies held on the other side of the Atlantic. The first was played in 2003 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Curiously, the match was the first sporting event ever held at the brand-new stadium, built as the home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. History aside, Manchester United won 3–1 on goals from Forlán (2) and Van Nistelrooy. Barça's came from Patrick Kluivert.

On 30 July 2011 the two clubs met in Washington, DC in a rematch of the UEFA Champions League Final — which Barça won — played just two months earlier. In the rematch, Manchester United won 2–1 on goals from Nani and Owen. Thiago scored for Barça.

A third friendly match against the Red Devils was played in the 2012 preseason, but in the Swedish town of Göteborg, in a friendly that ended in a scoreless draw. Barça won, however, on a penalty shootout (2–0).

Fiorentina

Barça's only match against the Italian club in this century was held in 2008 in the third friendly match of Pep Guardiola's squad. At the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence, Puyol, Jeffren and Bojan gave the victory to Barcelona, with Fiorentina pulling one back from Pazzini.

Barça and Fiorentina met four other times in the 20th century. Barça won 2–0 in 1969 at the Artemio Franchi. In 1982 they drew 0–0 at the Comunale. Then, in 1987, at the Trofeo Naranja semi-final in Valencia, Barca won 3–1. Finally, in 1997, in a match that lasted just 45 minutes, Fiorentina won 2–0 at the Artemio Franchi.

Chelsea

Against Chelsea, Barça have played fifteen official games in the UEFA Champions League and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, but both clubs have never clashed in a friendly tournament.

Força Barça
Força Barça

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