Barcelona bring the firepower with a full squad for K League friendlies

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Barcelona bring the firepower with a full squad for K League friendlies

Published: 30 Jul. 2025, 09:59 Updated: 30 Jul. 2025, 17:09

JIM BULLEY
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

A fan takes a photo at the “FC Seoul vs FC Barcelona” pop-up store on the first floor of Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, southern Seoul, on July 23. [NEWS1]

FC Barcelona landed in Korea on Tuesday for a week of preseason action that will see the 28-time La Liga champions face FC Seoul on Thursday and Daegu FC next Monday.

This week’s tour will see Barcelona play in Korea for the first time since 2010, when the La Liga giants arrived in Korea with the likes of Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Daniel Alves, but controversially left their World Cup-winning Spanish stars at home.

This year, Barca manager Hansi Flick has brought the full squad, including recent signee Marcus Rashford, teen sensation Lamine Yamal and club legends like Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.

Marcus Rashford arrives at at Incheon International Airport on July 29. [NEWS1]

Rashford, who made his debut against Japanese side Vissel Kobe on Sunday, is expected to make an appearance in Thursday’s game against FC Seoul, setting him up to face former Manchester United teammate Jesse Lingard.

The former United pair, both from the northwest of England, played together for the better part of six seasons, emerging as an attacking pair late in the 2016-17 season. Teammates in the England training camp as well, Rashford and Lingard were said to be close friends off the pitch and appeared in multiple episodes of the English Football Association’s “Roommates” series together.

Jesse Lingard jumps for a header during a Korean Cup game between FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on July 2. [NEWS1]

Lingard moved to the K League in 2024 and took the armband for the Seoul club this season. It’s been a solid campaign for the 32-year-old, with seven goals and three assists in 24 league appearances so far this season. Seoul sit in fourth place as of press time.

As well as the Rashford-Lingard intrigue, Thursday’s game will likely also be a chance to see Lamal follow in some hallowed Messi-sized footprints as the 18-year-old gets used to wearing Barcelona’s iconic No. 10.

Barcelona’s arrival in Korea is thanks in part to the most Korean of institutions: fried chicken. The main sponsor of the FC Seoul game is Genesis BBQ, a Korean chicken franchise, with the company also taking responsibility for things like the club’s tour bus.

Korean fans welcome FC Barcelona at Incheon International Airport on July 29. [NEWS1]

While a fried chicken company might seem like a left-field sponsor for a football event, in the Korean context it makes perfect sense — for the majority of Koreans, football is best enjoyed with fried chicken and beer.

Barca arrive in Korea at a busy time. The La Liga giants are one of three major European clubs in town this week, alongside Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The two Premier League clubs are taking part in this year’s Coupang Play Series, with Newcastle set to take on a K League All-Star team at Suwon World Cup Stadium on Wednesday evening as of press time.

The Barca-FC Seoul game then follows at Seoul World Cup Stadium, before Tottenham fly up from Hong Kong to face Newcastle at the same venue on Sunday.

Barcelona round off the schedule on Monday as they face Daegu FC down at Daegu Stadium.

The Barca can be watched exclusively through Disney+ in Korea and through the team’s website in other countries. Coupang Play Series games are available exclusively on Coupang Play in Korea, and through other streaming services worldwide.

The Korea JoongAng Daily will cover all four games live on the Korea JoongAng Daily website.

BY JIM BULLEY [[email protected]]