Barcelona close to finalising a friendly against FC Basel on August 16

Barcelona close to finalising a friendly against FC Basel on August 16 Barcelona have reacted quickly after cancelling their planned pre-season friendly against Ittihad Tanger , and already have an alternative lined up. Indeed, according to Mundo Deportivo , the Blaugrana are in the final stages of arranging a friendly against FC Basel in Switzerland on August 16. Negotiations between the two clubs are already at an advanced stage, with the match expected to replace the fixture that had been scheduled to take place in Tangier on August 15. The aim is to ensure Hansi Flick’s side still gets another competitive test before the start of the new season. Basel offer another strong pre-season test FC Basel are one of the most successful and historic clubs in Swiss football and play their home matches at St. Jakob-Park. FC Basel manager Stephan Lichtsteiner. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images) The team is currently managed by former Juventus and Arsenal defender Stephan Lichtsteiner, who took charge in January 2026. Among the club’s most recognisable players are Xherdan Shaqiri, one of the biggest names in Swiss football, alongside Albian Ajeti, Marwin Hitz and Benie Traore. For Barcelona, the fixture would provide another valuable opportunity to continue building fitness and rhythm ahead of the competitive campaign. Why Barcelona cancelled the Morocco trip The decision to abandon the proposed friendly in Tangier was ultimately taken after the club concluded that the circumstances were no longer suitable. Barcelona cancelled their trip to Morocco. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Barcelona felt the recent migration crisis in Ceuta, together with the possibility of another large-scale mobilisation being organised through social media for the same date, created an environment in which travelling to Morocco was no longer appropriate. The Blaugrana , therefore, opted not to proceed with the match despite the advanced planning. Safety comes before financial considerations By cancelling the Tangier fixture, Barcelona will miss out on an appearance fee worth around €4.5 million. Even so, the club considered the safety of the players, coaching staff and travelling delegation to be the overriding priority. The friendly against Basel is expected to generate a smaller financial return, but Barcelona believe replacing the Morocco trip with a match in Switzerland is the most sensible solution as preparations for the new season enter their final phase.