Five friendlies in Asia postponed

Barcelona site Pelikano claims that Barcelona has agreements to play five more friendly games in Asia, but that those matched won't be played this season.

Because of Barcelona's busy match schedule, it won't be possible to play any friendly game during or after the season in the coming year, which could lead to the club having to pay penalty fees.

Barcelona had already agreed back in 2006 to play a friandly game against Saudi Arabia club Al-Ittihad, while a game against Uzbek club Bunyodkor should already have been played before 30 June of this year (read more here). The club would also have an obligation to play a friendly match in Kuwait, and as a consequence of the agreement with Arab telecom company Etisalat (read more here), this company would have the right to organize two more games in the Middle East.

Read more:
Barcelona will return to Asia
Possible future friendly game in Kuwait
Barcelona will probably return to US next year

There won't be a post-season tour

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has cancelled a possible post-season tour in June (read more here).

Barcelona signed last year agreements to play friendly games in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Uzbekistan and thought about organizing a tour at the end of the season but those plans have meanwhile been cancelled.

The club was looking at the option to include the game in Uzbekistan in the pres-season schedule if the team would have gone on tour in Asia this summer, but in the end the tour will go to the Untied States (read more here). The games in Saudi Arabia, for which the fees have already been paid, will certainly have to be played at another time since they cannot be organized in July or August because of the heat in the region.

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Possible post-season friendly against Arsenal
Pre-season tour in United States confirmed
Possible tour in Asia before end of the season

Barcelona to start pre-season in London

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona will start the 2009-2010 pre-season with a training camp in the surroundings of London, after the players had three days of physical tests in Barcelona from 20 June on.

As for the rest of the pre-season, Barcelona would have serious doubts on a new tour in the United States (read more here). Although nothing has yet been decided, it looks like the team could this year go on tour in Japan since the club has received some interesting offers to play friendly games in the Asian country.

Barcelona has also cancelled the post-season plan to play games in Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, mainly because there are too little players available because of World Cup qualifying games, the Confederations cup and the European championship under-21. There's a chance that some of these games could be included in the pre-season schedule.

Read more:
Barcelona reconsidering pre-season tour
Barcelona plans new US tour in 2009

Possible tour in Asia before end of the season

Barcelona marketing vice-president Jaume Ferrer has said in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that Barcelona is looking at the option of doing a tour in Asia before the current season ends.

The tour could also be scheduled next season but Barcelona plans to play friendly games in Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

The two last games were postponed last year and the game against Uzbek club Bunyodkor is part of a 5 million euro deal that was closed last summer and includes a week of training in Barcelona and friendly games in Barcelona (read more here) and Uzbekistan.

Read more:
Why was Eto'o yesterday in Uzbekistan?
Plans for new US tour confirmed
Friendly 7: Barcelona-Bunyodkor 1-1