Barcelona Friendly: Spanish Champions Scrap Morocco Match Amid Ceuta Border Crisis

Barcelona Friendly: Spanish Champions Scrap Morocco Match Amid Ceuta Border Crisis

News

Barcelona have withdrawn from a planned pre-season match in Morocco amid the continuing border dispute in Ceuta.

The Spanish title holders had been due to play local club Ittihad Riadi Tangier in north-west Morocco on 15 August as part of their preparations for the upcoming season.

In a statement, the club said that the present circumstances and uncertainty made it unsuitable for the fixture to go ahead.

Barcelona did not officially explain the cancellation, but the move is believed to be connected to events in Ceuta, the Spanish territory bordering Morocco on the North African coast.

Around 78,000 migrants entered the Spanish territory from Morocco by sea last week, with 100 people reported dead and tensions rising among EU countries that maintain open borders.

Most of those migrants have now returned to Morocco, although an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people remain in Ceuta.

Italy suspended its Schengen agreement with Spain with support from Finland and Denmark, while the Czech Republic requested the temporary suspension of Spain’s membership.

Barcelona also saw a friendly against Preston North End called off following a pre-season training camp in the UK, during which they faced Birmingham City.

The team are due to meet Nottingham Forest in the Italian city of Udine on Saturday before welcoming Egypt’s Al Ahly on 19 August.

Hansi Flick’s squad will open their defence of the La Liga championship against Elche on 23 August.

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