Barcelona

For the first time in Barcelona history, the club will play a game on Australian soil tonight.

90 mins to kick-off: Barcelona are set to play their first ever match in Australia tonight against the best players from the local top-flight competition. While only a friendly, this game means a lot to both fans and players. 45 mins to kick off: Starting lineups have been confirmed. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Frenkie de Jong both left out of Barca's XI as a few youngsters get their chance instead. 15 mins to kick off: "I think we can keep them sort of quiet. Full-time: Barcelona come from behind in the second half to claim an entertaining 3-2 win. Barca have failed to score across their past two matches, while the All Stars led Juventus back in 2014 before two late goals saw them lose 3-2. Game looking likely to start about 10 minutes late. This game might not start on time. Barca then just manage to clear his follow-up attempt. Alba and Aubameyang come on for Barcelona. One to keep an eye on.

On another night of what might have been for Australian football, the Spanish giants held off a strong challenge from their All-Star hosts.

After that kind of performance tonight, surely that should be encouraged for every Australian fan around the place to make sure they come out and support their local team?” For the most part, it worked, and on another night, he might have claimed the prized scalp of Xavi in his coaching debut. “Maybe from our point of view we’re disappointed with the fact we didn’t win the game, but overall, I think it was a terrific performance from the players. There’s a grand final to be played in Melbourne on Saturday night, but the vast majority of the theatre-goers who dug out the old “Messi” jerseys from the back of their wardrobes and paid big money to catch a glimpse of Barcelona’s maiden voyage to Australia probably wouldn’t have a clue who’s in it. They sat in a low block, forcing Barca out wide, and posing the occasional threat on the counter. But over the course of the match, you could almost feel the fans who came for Barcelona warming to the All Stars.

Barcelona have officially ended their 2021-22 season with a 3-2 friendly win over the A-Leagues All Stars in Sydney.

90 mins to kick-off: Barcelona are set to play their first ever match in Australia tonight against the best players from the local top-flight competition. While only a friendly, this game means a lot to both fans and players. 45 mins to kick off: Starting lineups have been confirmed. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Frenkie de Jong both left out of Barca's XI as a few youngsters get their chance instead. 15 mins to kick off: "I think we can keep them sort of quiet. Full-time: Barcelona come from behind in the second half to claim an entertaining 3-2 win. Barca have failed to score across their past two matches, while the All Stars led Juventus back in 2014 before two late goals saw them lose 3-2. Game looking likely to start about 10 minutes late. This game might not start on time. Barca then just manage to clear his follow-up attempt. Alba and Aubameyang come on for Barcelona. One to keep an eye on.

Barcelona's first-ever match in Australia ended in a 3-2 victory over an A-League All-Star team with substitute Ansu Fati scoring the winning goal.

The list of absent Barcelona players was a long one. But his opposing namesake — Adama Traore — leveled for Barcelona in the 72nd minute before Fati’s winner five minutes later. Barcelona was also without Riqui Puig and Oscar Mingueza because of international duty, and Ferran Torres didn’t make trip because of his vaccination status.

Central Coast 17-year-old Garang Kuol earns plaudits from Barcelona manager Xavi after lighting it up in Sydney friendly.

Kuol hit the bar in the final minutes but the All Stars could not find the equaliser. It was a similar tale two minutes after half-time, but this time it was the All Stars who were the beneficiaries. The All Stars kept their foot on the throat with a second goal coming in similar fashion six minutes later. The teenager nearly put the All Stars 3-1 up when he found himself clean through on goal in the 66th minute and he also hit the woodwork in the dying stages. But he looked every bit at home taking on the likes of Sergio Busquets and Dani Alves in front of 70,174 fans and his turn of pace troubled the Barcelona defence. Kuol was part of the A-Leagues All Stars coached by Dwight Yorke that went down in a spirited 3-2 defeat at Stadium Australia on Wednesday.

The list of absent Barcelona players was a long one. The team was without injured Gerard Pique, Pedri, Sergio Roberto, Eric Garcia and Sergino Dest, who have ...

“Overall, I think it was a terrific performance from the players. The list of absent Barcelona players was a long one. It was a big surprise for us because I don’t follow the A-League a lot.”

Thousands of supporters turned out to catch a glimpse of some of the world's best players live in the flesh and Xavi fielded a number of top names, ...

'Overall, I think it was a terrific performance from the players. It was a similar tale after halftime, but this time it was the All Stars who were the beneficiaries. 'It was a good test for us to finish the season and now to prepare for the next one. In front of 70,174 fans - mostly of a Barcelona persuasion - the Dwight Yorke-coached All Stars claimed an unlikely 2-1 lead in the second half before being pegged back twice in the final 20 minutes on Wednesday. - Barcelona were stunned in Sydney by the A-League All Stars on Wednesday Barcelona survive second-half scare to defeat A-League All Stars side in Sydney as Adama Traore and Ansu Fati come to the rescue for Xavi's side against Dwight Yorke's plucky underdogs on first visit Down Under

Barcelona's first-ever match in Australia ended in a 3-2 victory over an A-League All-Star team with substitute Ansu Fati scoring the winning goal.

“Overall, I think it was a terrific performance from the players. The list of absent Barcelona players was a long one. It was a big surprise for us because I don’t follow the A-League a lot.”

Garang Kuol was the name on everybody's lips at Accor Stadium on Wednesday night, with the 17-year-old earning rich praise from Xavi and Dwight Yorke.

I play with a lot of freedom, I don’t think about it too much – I just try to make an effect.” Overall, fantastic – I’m pleased that the public get to see him because he’s one for the future.” “Even when we conceded the equaliser it was a stonewall foul on him as well. “It was a great experience to play against some of these top players around the world,” Kuol said. “He was very fast, he created many chances,” Xavi said. A scholarship player with the Mariners who is still juggling high school commitments, Kuol is unfazed by his growing reputation.

The potential of football in Australia was in evidence as one of the game's superpowers helped deliver a festive night in Sydney.

“I didn’t think it was going to be this good. “You can see the talent is on show. Seventeen-year-old Central Coast Mariners striker Garang Kuol, with less than three hours of professional football under his belt, troubled the Barça defence all night, and nearly put the All-Stars 3-1 up following a blistering solo run before cracking an upright in the closing stages of the game. But the All Stars did not roll over and, despite striker Jason Cummings admitting at half-time that his team were “chasing shadows”, a goal from Reno Piscopo soon after the re-start put the home side back into the game. When Barcelona took the stage to face the A-League All Stars on Wednesday night they were met with a spectacle worthy of a grand final. The group, coached by Dwight Yorke, managed to train as a team just twice.