FCBARCELONA.CAT

29.07.2009 13:41

Barça visits America for seventh time

Edgar Fornós

Barça is once again on a summer tour of the US, the seventh time they have been to the country in preseason.

Barça have started a new tour of the US where they will continue to gear up for their first competitive matches of the season in the Spanish and European Super Cups. The 2009 US tour follows on from six previous ones held in 1937, 1969, 1984, 2003, 2006 and 2008.

Mexico first

In 1937, in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, FC Barcelona crossed the Atlantic for a tour that began in Mexico and ended in the US. After playing nine games against Mexico DF and one in Orizaba in June, July and August, Barça, then coached by Irishman Patrick O’Connell, went to the US to play four more games in New York.

New York again 32 years on

The Big Apple hosted FC Barcelona again in the summer of 1969, with the club playing two games against Juventus. The last game of the tour was against a world all-stars side.

The Transatlantic Cup

This was FC Barcelona’s shortest time in America. The side coached by Argentine César Luis Menotti played two games in the Transatlantic Cup against the New York Cosmos and Brazilian outfit Fluminense.

4 tours in 6 years

Between 2003 and the trip that began today, Wednesday, Barça have toured the US four times in six years. The first was in 2003, with Frank Rijkard as the newly appointed manager, and the Catalans played three tough rivals in Juventus, Milan and Manchester United that summer.

Barça went back to the US after winning the Champions League for the second time in the 2006/07 preseason after first stopping off in Mexico. In Monterrey Barça played Mexican side Tigres before playing games in Los Angeles, Houston and Nova York.

Big wins in preseason before treble

Barça racked up some impressive victories in their 2008/09 preseason tour before going on to win the treble. They beat Chivas Guadalajara 5-2 and New York Red Bull 6-2.