Barcelona could play Liverpool in a friendly in Kenya as pre-season plans take shape | OneFootball

With the 2025/26 season in its final stage, FC Barcelona are already planning for the upcoming summer.

While strategies are being drawn up to improve the squad in the transfer window, the Blaugrana are also working on finalising plans for the team’s pre-season training.

As has already been reported, a tour to the USA or Asia, like in recent years, will not be taking place this summer. Instead, Hansi Flick & co. hopes to have a training camp closer to home base, prioritising the health and comfort of players.

However, those at the boardroom level see things differently.

Pre-season plans close to being finalised

SPORT’s Carlos Monfort has now come forward with an extensive report detailing what Barcelona are planning for the pre-season camp, with a friendly against Liverpool possibly on the cards.

This morning, during the board meeting held at the club offices, one of the central topics was precisely the planning of the summer training camp. Although the matter was quite advanced, some details still needed to be finalised.

The different positions within the club regarding the location had created some uncertainty, making it necessary to reach a definitive decision.

On one hand, the coaching staff led by Flick favoured preparation in a nearby environment, with the intention of avoiding long journeys and ensuring facilities that offer the best conditions for physical work.

Barcelona could face Liverpool in pre-season. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

On the other hand, from an executive perspective, there was also an emphasis on strengthening the club’s international profile, always seeking a balance with sporting needs.

After discussing the different viewpoints, the option gaining the most support is to hold a training camp of around 15 days in England. This choice would allow the team to combine high-quality facilities with a demanding competitive environment.

During this stay, a friendly match is scheduled for 30 July in Birmingham, and another match in England is not ruled out.

A friendly vs Liverpool on the cards

On top of that, once the training camp in England is completed, Barcelona are considering two possible scenarios to continue the tour.

The first would be to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, to face Liverpool on 8 August in what would be a highly attractive fixture.

The two teams have not met since Barça’s 4-0 loss to the Reds at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg back in 2019.

The alternative would be to play a match in Morocco on 5 August against a local opponent, an option that is also being considered due to its proximity.

This will be followed by the traditional season curtain-raiser for Barcelona in the form of the Joan Gamper Trophy match.