Barcelona will face Juventus at the Camp Nou in the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 8, when a possible showdown between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo occurs.
Sources have told ESPN that Barca are struggling to make room for Messi to register in time for the start of the season due to financial constraints.
However, Messi is expected to sign a new five-year contract at Camp Nou and his contract expired last month.
Ronaldo’s future at Juventus is also up in the air with the forward set to become a free agent next summer, and sources have told ESPN that his representatives are assessing the interest of some of the best clubs in Europe.
The possible confrontation between Messi and Ronaldo will not be the only attraction of the day, since the Barcelona women’s team will participate for the first time in the Gamper.
The women’s Barça won a historic hat-trick last season, including a victory over Chelsea in the Champions League final and will face Juventus women just hours before Ronald Koeman’s men take on the Bianconeri .
Ronaldo will have no shortage of suitors after winning the Euro 2020 Golden Boot this summer after scoring five goals and scoring one more in the competition.
Meanwhile, Messi has just won the Copa América with Argentina after beating host Brazil in the Maracana final.
The 34-year-old claimed his first major international title for his country and was named Player of the Tournament.
The two superstars have won 11 Ballons d’Or between them and met last season during the group stage of the Champions League.
Ronaldo, who missed his team’s 2-0 home defeat to Barça on October 20 due to a positive COVID-19 test, scored two goals from the penalty spot when Juventus won 3-0 at the Camp Nou on December 12.
The event will mark the return of football fans to Camp Nou, with an expected attendance of 19,869, as the club can only have a maximum capacity of 20% due to the pandemic.
The Gamper Trophy is an annual friendly match that takes place in August before the start of the Barça campaign.
The last time Barça faced Juventus at the Gamper was in 2005, when 18-year-old Messi put on an impressive display as the Italian giants won the trophy on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
During the match, then-Juventus manager Fabio Capello was so impressed that he tried to sanction Messi’s loan at the time, but Barça manager Frank Rijkaard laughed and rejected the proposal.
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