Barcelona continue their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign with an exciting pre-season friendly against Birmingham City at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.
It's pre-season action on Friday, July 31, as the Catalan giants travel to the Midlands to face a Birmingham side that has won all four of their friendly matches this summer.
Team Form
Birmingham: Perfect start to pre-season with four consecutive victories.
Barcelona: Won their opening pre-season clash with a convincing four-goal victory.
Key Stats & Head-to-Head
Birmingham have played four pre-season fixtures so far, posting wins in every single match.
Barcelona started their pre-season campaign with a 4-1 success over CE Europa.
Barcelona are without eight World Cup winners following Spain's tournament triumph.
Birmingham's biggest summer signing Jhon Solis arrived permanently from Girona.
What to Expect From Both Teams
Birmingham | Form: WWWW:
Chris Davies' side enters this clash in fine form, having recorded four straight pre-season victories against Huddersfield, Solihull Moors, Burton Albion, and Crewe Alexandra.
With new permanent signing Jhon Solis anchoring the midfield, the Championship outfit will step up levels to test themselves against elite European opposition.
Having finished 10th in the Championship last season, this high-profile fixture offers the Blues a major test ahead of their EFL Cup opener against Swansea City.
Barcelona | Form: W:
Hansi Flick's men head to the Midlands for a training camp after opting against tours to the US or Far East due to the 2026 World Cup.
Despite missing nine international stars resting post-World Cup, Barcelona still feature top talents alongside new summer signing Karim Adeyemi.
With La Liga starting on August 23 against Elche, finding rhythm and integrating new faces in England is a top priority for the technical bench.
Predicted Lineups
Birmingham (possible):
Beadle, Osayi-Samuel, Klarer, Fry, Cochrane, Vicente, Solis, Iwata, Fujimoto, Roberts, Stansfield.
Barcelona (possible):
Szczesny, Fort, Araujo, Martin, Balde, Christensen, Casado, Bernal, Adeyemi, Kluivert, Roony.
Matchups & Players to Watch
Karim Adeyemi: The new summer signing has been included in the squad and could make his Barcelona debut.
Jay Stansfield: The striker is expected to lead the line for the Blues after their strong start to pre-season.
Jhon Solis: A key addition from Girona who will be tasked with anchoring the midfield against Spanish giants.
Shane Kluivert: The son of former Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert could be handed a starting role in attack.
Odds Market on MSport
Birmingham/Home to win = 4.67
Barcelona/Away to win = 1.77
Both teams to score (GG/NG Yes) = 1.47
Over 2.5 total goals = 1.44
This clash presents a classic pre-season test: an in-form Championship side looking to maintain momentum faces a re-tooled European powerhouse.
With both managers eager to give minutes to key players and new signings, St. Andrew's is set for a compelling summer fixture.
