Barcelona’s pre-season tour in Tokyo has been abruptly called off following what the club described as “serious contractual breaches” by the event promoter.
Barcelona were scheduled to face J1 League champions Vissel Kobe this Sunday in a friendly that was expected to draw a massive fan turnout.
However, the club issued a statement on Thursday, July 24, confirming the match’s cancellation and hinting that the remainder of their Asian tour, particularly fixtures in South Korea, may also be cancelled unless specific conditions are met.
“Barcelona announces that it has been obliged to suspend its participation in the game scheduled for next Sunday in Japan due to serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promoter,” the club stated.
While Barcelona stopped short of naming the promoter in its most recent release, the Yasuda Group had previously been identified when the tour was first unveiled. At the time of writing, the group had not made a public statement on the development.
The Japanese side, Vissel Kobe, who were set to host the Spanish champions, responded with an apology to supporters: “We sincerely apologise for any concern this may cause to the many fans and related parties who were looking forward to this match. Our club is working in collaboration with relevant parties to gather necessary information and take appropriate measures.”
Meanwhile, Barcelona are likely to go on with their South Korean tour. They are scheduled to face FC Seoul and Daegu on July 31 and August 4, respectively.
“Nevertheless, the club will consider readjusting the leg of the summer tour in South Korea if certain conditions are met by the promoter,” Barca’s statement reads.
“If these conditions are met, then the club will travel to South Korea in the coming days. Barcelona regrets this incident and the impact it will have on the many, many Barça fans in Japan.”
In the same vein, South Korean promoter D-Drive reassured fans that efforts were underway to actualise the upcoming fixtures.
“We are doing our utmost to deliver unforgettable matches,” the company said.
Barcelona, fresh off their 28th La Liga title, had hoped the Asian tour would serve both as a pre-season tune-up and a marketing mission to engage with their growing fanbase in the region. With Tokyo off the table and Seoul now hanging in the balance, the club faces a race against time to keep their summer plans alive.
The post Barcelona Cancels Japan Tour, South Korea Tour Also Uncertain appeared first on Naija News.
