Barcelona Officially Unveil Manchester City Charity Match To Take Place Mid-Season

Barcelona will host Manchester City in a charity friendly match at the Camp Nou following the beginning of the new Premier League campaign, it has been confirmed.

The Premier League champions will face off against the Catalan giants to raise money in honour of Juan Carlos Unzue - former Barcelona player and assistant coach - and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) awareness.

It was revealed last week that plans were initially for the game to be held last summer, but COVID-19 travel restrictions made it difficult for the tie to be arranged.

Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium. (Image: REUTERS / Alamy)

Manchester City will travel to Catalonia following their third Premier League fixture of the campaign, where they visit St. James' Park to play Newcastle.

Pep Guardiola's men will kick off against Barcelona at 20:00 [GMT] on Wednesday 24th August and will consider a multiple-day stay in Barcelona before returning to England for their Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium the following weekend.

The Blues kick off their Premier League campaign against West Ham at the London Stadium, where new signing Erling Haaland could make his league debut for the reigning champions following his arrival from Borussia Dortmund for £51 million.

Erling Haaland (Image: Manchester City / mancity.com)

City host Bournemouth in their opening home fixture of the Premier League season before heading to Tyneside to face off against Eddie Howe's Newcastle the following weekend.

After closing deals for Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, Manchester City are looking to sign Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips and Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella before jetting off to the United States for pre-season in July.

Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling have both been heavily linked with potential exits in recent weeks and could be set to part ways with the six-time Premier League champions before City's pre-season tour.

Etihad Stadium, Manchester (Image: Alamy)

The Blues will begin pre-season by taking on Mexican outfit Club América at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Wednesday 20th July before meeting Bayern Munich at Lambeau Field, Wisconsin - home to the Green Bay Packers - on Saturday 23rd July.

While the latter is being eyed by many as a pre-season friendly, Manchester City have stated the clash will be part of what is branded as the ‘USA Cup’.

Whilst Pep Guardiola will be keen on having majority of his squad - including rising academy prospects - for his side's trip to north America, it is highly likely the 51-year-old will take an academy-dominated side to Barcelona for the charity game in August - with the tie coming in between crucial Premier League games.

A strong run of results in pre-season could set the tone for what is set to be another league-challenging campaign for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, who will be aiming to claim their third Premier League title on the trot next term.