Open Extended Reactions
Barcelona will begin preparations for their defence of LaLiga in England, with the Catalan club announcing they will spend part of preseason at St. George's Park.
The Spanish champions will base themselves at the English Football Association's national football centre in Burton upon Trent from July 27 until Aug. 3.
Hansi Flick's side will also play up to two friendly fixtures while in England, although nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
Barcelona have won LaLiga in back-to-back seasons under manager Hansi Flick. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Various reports say Barça will face Championship team Birmingham City at St Andrew's, with a second match against another side likely to be played behind closed doors.
It is the second time the Catalan side have headed to St. George's Park as part of their preseason plans.
They previously visited in 2014 when Luis Enrique was the coach ahead of a season which ended with them winning the treble -- LaLiga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
It will be a familiar setting for England international Anthony Gordon, who joined the club from Newcastle United in a €70 million ($81.7m) deal last week.
It remains to be seen whether Gordon's Three Lions teammate Marcus Rashford will also be back with Barça next season, though.
Barça have an option to make Rashford's loan from Manchester United permanent for €30m ($35m) after he scored 14 goals and created 14 more last season.
Sources have told ESPN Barça have not ruled out re-signing Rashford despite signing Gordon, who plays in the same position, but they are trying to negotiate a lower fee -- or even another loan -- with United.
- Jules Koundé vows to stay at Barcelona: 'I have a contract until 2030'
- U.S. goalkeeper Diego Kochen leaving Barcelona on loan
- Barcelona's Ansu Fati announces release of music single
Prior to heading to the United Kingdom, Flick's team will spend two weeks training in Barcelona, with the players due back in for the new campaign on July 13.
However, it will be a disrupted preseason, with international players returning at different times depending on how far they go at the World Cup with their respective national teams.
The World Cup final is due to be held on July 19 and any players making it that far would be unlikely to return to club football before August.
It remains unclear when the new LaLiga season will begin. The league proposed the weekend of Aug. 15, with any fixtures affected by the World Cup postponed until a later date, while the Spanish Players' Association (AFE) would prefer a unified start the following weekend.