Barcelona Femení is set to make a return to the United States this summer as part of their preparations for the upcoming season. The reigning European champions have lined up friendly matches against Bay FC and Dallas Trinity FC in August.
The team will commence their mini-tour by facing National Women's Soccer League outfit Bay FC at Paypal Park in San José, California, on August 27. Following this, they will travel to Texas to take on Dallas Trinity at the Cotton Bowl Stadium on August 30. Dallas Trinity is set to compete in the newly established USL Super League.
This will mark the third visit of Barça's women's team to the United States. In 2018, they traveled alongside the men's team and secured a convincing 5-0 victory over SoCal FC in a friendly match held in Los Angeles. Their most recent trip in 2021 saw them participate in the Women's International Champions Cup, where they suffered a defeat to Lyon in the semifinals but bounced back to claim a 3-2 win against Houston Dash in the third-place playoff.
Barcelona Femení arrives in the U.S. as the dominant force in European women's football, having clinched their second consecutive Champions League title earlier this year by defeating Lyon in the final. The victory marked their first-ever win over the French powerhouse.
Following their successful campaign, the team has undergone several changes. Notably, head coach Jonatan Giráldez has departed to join NWSL side Washington Spirit, while players like Mariona Caldentey and Lucy Bronze have also left the club. Pere Romeu, Giráldez's former assistant, has stepped in as the new manager, and the team has welcomed new signings including striker Ewa Pajor, goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck, and forward Kika Nazareth.
Meanwhile, Barça Atlétic, the men's reserve team, has appointed a new coach after Rafa Márquez's decision to depart and join the Mexico national team as Javier Aguirre's assistant. Albert Sánchez, Márquez's former assistant, has signed a one-year deal to lead the team, which competes in the third tier of Spanish football. Sánchez, aged 37, brings experience from his previous roles in China, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, having been with Barcelona for four years and working with the under-19s before his recent promotion.
