Inter Miami CF will have a momentary pause in MLS regular season action to host European giants FC Barcelona in a sold out international friendly match at DRV PNK Stadium on Tuesday, July 19. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
FC Barcelona Open Training at DRV PNK Stadium
Additionally, DRV PNK Stadium will also host an open training session for FC Barcelona on Monday, July 18 at 7 p.m. ET ahead of the match. Tickets for the open training are available here.
Second International Friendly at DRV PNK Stadium
Inter Miami will hosts FC Barcelona for the first time in a preseason match for the Spanish powerhouse. The match on Tuesday is on track to break the club’s all time attendance record attained last year against in-state rivals Orlando City SC in the 2021 MLS Regular season.
The occasion marks the second time Inter Miami will host an international opponent in a friendly match at DRV PNK Stadium, having previously hosted Peruvian side Club Universitario de Deportes earlier this year in January in a 4-0 win for the club.
FC Barcelona Connections
Members of Inter Miami and FC Barcelona have multiple links from previous experiences. Inter Miami CF co-owner David Beckham faced Barça in 11 official matches, registering one goal and four assists. Beckham also scored a free-kick for the LA Galaxy in a friendly against Barcelona on Aug. 1, 2009. Striker Gonzalo Higuaín has faced them in 22 official matches, scoring three goals, including one in the 2012/13 Supercopa de España. Head coach Phil Neville and head coach Xavi Hernández faced each other in the 1998/99 UEFA Champions League. Inter Miami CF Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson played against Barcelona in a friendly matchup on Aug. 12, 2006, in front of a sellout crowd at Giants Stadium. Henderson was a midfielder for the New York Red Bulls at the time. The match may also see the reunion of USMNT’s fullbacks Sergiño Dest and DeAndre Yedlin, who recently helped their national team qualify for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Inter Miami young midfielder Bryce Duke spent the 2019 campaign with the Barça Residency Academy U-18/19 in Arizona.
Scouting FC Barcelona
The Spanish giants will be playing their second pre-season fixture against Inter Miami ahead of the 2022/23 season. So far in the summer window, los Culés have added four new faces to their roster: defender Andreas Christensen, midfielder Franck Kessié, and attackers Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski. Additionally, French winger Ousmane Dembelé signed a contract extension with Barcelona to remain with the club until 2024.
After the match in South Florida, Barcelona will continue its trip stateside with preseason friendlies against Real Madrid in Las Vegas on July 23, Juventus F.C. in Dallas on July 26 and against the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey on July 30.
