Latest news with #VisselKobe
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Everything you need to know about Barcelona's pre-season tour of Asia this summer
Everything you need to know about Barcelona's pre-season tour of Asia this summer Despite having already secured the La Liga title, Barcelona still have one final league fixture to fulfil—an away clash against Athletic Club on Sunday, May 25. However, attention has already turned to the next chapter, as the club begins to outline its roadmap for the 2025/26 preseason. Advertisement Following the end of the current campaign, Barcelona players will enjoy a well-deserved six-week break before returning for preseason preparations in the second week of July. The initial sessions will take place at the club's training headquarters, the Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan Despi, with standard medical check-ups and fitness assessments kicking things off. The first fortnight of training will remain local, but excitement is already building for a global preseason tour. According to sources close to the club, Barcelona may play a warm-up friendly in Morocco before jetting off to Asia on July 24th for a high-profile summer tour that will take them through Japan and South Korea. Barcelona's pre-season matches Barcelona will play pre-season matches in Asia. (Photo by MANAURE QUINTERO/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the Blaugrana will face Vissel Kobe on July 27. This fixture will serve as a symbolic reunion of sorts and is expected to attract major attention from fans and media alike. Advertisement From Japan, the tour continues in South Korea, where Barcelona will play two more friendlies. The first is scheduled for Thursday, July 31st, against FC Seoul in the capital. The second will take place on Monday, August 4th in Daegu, against Daegu FC. After wrapping up the Asian tour, the squad will return to Barcelona to contest the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy. This year's edition will serve as more than just a ceremonial curtain-raiser, as it will be a pilot event at the newly renovated Spotify Camp Nou, which is expected to host Barça's first home match of the season after the September international break.
Morocco World
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
FC Barcelona Could Play a Summer Friendly in Morocco
Rabat – Morocco could potentially be a destination for a summer-friendly game between FC Barcelona and one of its opponents. Sports reported the news today, noting that the club is considering playing a friendly match in Morocco as it is finalizing its 2024-2025 preseason agenda. The source said that club president Joan Laporta is evaluating the possibility of playing its potential friendly game either in Europe or Morocco. Laporta reportedly said that FC Barcelona intends to play two additional friendly matches in South Korea, this is in addition to a friendly game in Japan against Vissel Kobe in July. The information is yet to be confirmed by the Blaugrana. Sports said the friendly game seeks to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Japanese club. If confirmed, Moroccan FC Barcelona fans will be insanely interested in attending the game as millions of Moroccans are followers of La Liga, especially Clasico games between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. FC Barcelona's latest game in Morocco was in 2018, when FC Barcelona took on Sevilla, beating them 2-1 in Tangier as part of the Spanish Super Cup. Back in July 2013, the Catalan squad visited Tangier for the first time and played a friendly against Raja Club Casablanca.
New Straits Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Gwangju focused on Al-Hilal's Saudi contingent in Champions League clash
JEDDAH: Al-Hilal's foreign players have made the Saudi team one of the favourites to lift the Asian Champions League Elite title but Gwangju coach Lee Jung-hyo has his sights set on the club's domestic contingent ahead of the quarter-finals on Friday. The Riyadh-based outfit are aiming for a record-extending fifth continental title when the finals phase of this year's competition begin in Jeddah with attention largely focused on the expensively acquired talent within Jorge Jesus' side. While Serbian duo Aleksandar Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have played key roles in a team of high-profile signings such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo, Lee believes the key to prevailing against Al-Hilal lies elsewhere. "We have to take care of the Saudi Arabian players, their domestic players," said Lee, who has led the South Korean club into the continental championship for the first time. "We know the big name players, we know how they play. We have to keep an eye on Salem Al-Dawsari, Mohamed Kanno or Ali Al-Bulayhi. They're the players who are the core of Al-Hilal. We have to take care of them." Gwangju go into the clash at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium as underdogs having already performed above expectations to reach the last eight. After a series of impressive displays in the league phase, the Koreans battled back from a two-goal first-leg deficit to eliminate J-League champions Vissel Kobe in the previous round. Gwangju's Albanian winger Jasir Asani is the tournament's leading scorer with nine goals and Lee knows his players will need to be switched on for the duration of the quarter-final if they are to prevail. "Every minute, every second is going to be very precious for us," he said. "The game will last maybe 100 minutes and this is a showcase for us, to show to the world how we play. "Tomorrow's game is do or die. One is going to win and one is going to die." Al-Hilal go into the clash in the middle of a stuttering run of form, prompting Jesus to temper the expectations of his club's demanding supporters. "We know that this team (Gwangju) is very strong, that they have had a good performance and good forwards with good potential," said the experienced Portuguese coach. "We will face a team that plays well in a collective way. "We have watched the games they played before. We are aware of all the details of our opponent and we can say they are a strong team and that will make the match harder."
Straits Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Gwangju focused on Al-Hilal's Saudi contingent in Champions League clash
JEDDAH - Al-Hilal's foreign players have made the Saudi team one of the favourites to lift the Asian Champions League Elite title but Gwangju coach Lee Jung-hyo has his sights set on the club's domestic contingent ahead of the quarter-finals on Friday. The Riyadh-based outfit are aiming for a record-extending fifth continental title when the finals phase of this year's competition begin in Jeddah with attention largely focused on the expensively acquired talent within Jorge Jesus' side. While Serbian duo Aleksandar Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have played key roles in a team of high-profile signings such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo, Lee believes the key to prevailing against Al-Hilal lies elsewhere. "We have to take care of the Saudi Arabian players, their domestic players," said Lee, who has led the South Korean club into the continental championship for the first time. "We know the big name players, we know how they play. We have to keep an eye on Salem Al-Dawsari, Mohamed Kanno or Ali Al-Bulayhi. They're the players who are the core of Al-Hilal. We have to take care of them." Gwangju go into the clash at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium as underdogs having already performed above expectations to reach the last eight. After a series of impressive displays in the league phase, the Koreans battled back from a two-goal first-leg deficit to eliminate J-League champions Vissel Kobe in the previous round. Gwangju's Albanian winger Jasir Asani is the tournament's leading scorer with nine goals and Lee knows his players will need to be switched on for the duration of the quarter-final if they are to prevail. "Every minute, every second is going to be very precious for us," he said. "The game will last maybe 100 minutes and this is a showcase for us, to show to the world how we play. "Tomorrow's game is do or die. One is going to win and one is going to die." Al-Hilal go into the clash in the middle of a stuttering run of form, prompting Jesus to temper the expectations of his club's demanding supporters. "We know that this team (Gwangju) is very strong, that they have had a good performance and good forwards with good potential," said the experienced Portuguese coach. "We will face a team that plays well in a collective way. "We have watched the games they played before. We are aware of all the details of our opponent and we can say they are a strong team and that will make the match harder." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Asani strikes late to knock Kobe out of Asian Champions League
KAWASAKI, Japan, March 12 (Reuters) - Vissel Kobe crashed out of the Asian Champions League Elite on Wednesday when Jasir Asani's extra-time winner saw Gwangju FC overturn a two-goal deficit to progress to the last eight with a 3-0 win in South Korea as Kawasaki Frontale also advanced. Asani scored two minutes from the end of the the additional period to take the South Korean debutants into the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate. Park Jeong-in and Asani netted in normal time to level the tie against the J-League champions. Park Jeong-in gave the home side the lead in the 18th minute, beating Kobe keeper Daiya Maekawa with a looping header from Park Tae-jun's free kick. But it was not until the 85th minute that the Koreans drew level on aggregate, Asani netting from the penalty spot after referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim punished a handball by Takuya Iwanami. Asani smashed in the winner in the 118th minute, cutting inside to strike from distance with a left-foot shot. "It was a very hard game but I'm so happy because it's emotional to win 3-0 at home," said Asani, who joined Anderson Lopes as the tournament's top scorer with nine goals. "I didn't sleep for two days because I was thinking about this game because it's hard for us." Kawasaki overturned a 1-0 first-leg loss to down Shanghai Shenhua at Todoroki Stadium as Shigetoshi Hasebe's side handed the Chinese Super League team a 4-0 defeat to seal a 4-1 aggregate victory. Kawasaki claimed a deserved opener in the 24th minute when Asahi Sasaki smashed an unstoppable shot beyond Bao Yaxiong, beating the goalkeeper at his near post from 18 yards. The home side pulled clear with a dominant second-half performance, Erison claiming the second in the 64th minute with a first-time finish from Sasaki's ball over the top of the defence. Tatsuya Ito threaded a finish between Bao and the defence four minutes later to score the third and Marcinho completed the rout from close range in the first minute of added time. Kawasaki and Gwangju joined J-League side Yokohama F Marinos, and Saudi Pro League trio Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr in the quarter-finals along with Qatar's Al-Sadd and Buriram United from Thailand. The draw will be made on Monday in Kuala Lumpur with the remaining phases of the competition played in a centralised venue in Jeddah.
