There could be a pre-season showdown between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo with Juventus confirmed as Barcelona’s opponents in the Joan Gamper Trophy in August.
The game is held annually in August and has seen Barça face the biggest teams around the world. Previous competitors include Arsenal, Boca Juniors, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
? BREAKING NEWS! Men and Women to face Juventus in Joan Gamper Trophy! ?
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 23, 2021
Att1...
This summer’s showdown will reunite two all-time football icons who previously battled in La Liga during Ronaldo’s time at Real Madrid.
It will also be the first time Barcelona Femení take part, with both games set to take place on Sunday 8 August. The games will see fans return to Camp Nou for the first time since coronavirus restrictions were brought in, though Barça have confirmed the stadium will only be at 20 per cent capacity.
The two teams previously faced off in the Joan Gamper Trophy in 2005 in a match where Andres Iniesta, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet all scored before Juve triumphed 4-2 on penalties.
Messi and Ronaldo have both been busy over the summer. Messi led Argentina to their first Copa America title since 1993, his first ever major international honour, while Ronaldo featured for Portugal at Euro 2020 as the Selecao were knocked out in the round of 16, though he did win the Golden Boot.
While they’ve still been active on the pitch, the futures of both players are still somewhat uncertain.
While Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle with Lionel Messi over a new contract which includes a 50 per cent pay cut for the 34-year-old, the deal is yet to be officially announced. The club’s financial woes have not helped matters.
On the other hand, Ronaldo is expected to stay at Juve despite rumblings over his future, with La Vecchia Signora one of a number of clubs looking to balance their books following a difficult financial year.
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