Barcelona to face Vissel Kobe in friendly despite 'serious contractual breaches'

Barcelona announced the suspension of its participation in a scheduled match in Japan, citing "serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promoter." The Spanish club was set to play Vissel Kobe in Japan on Sunday as part of a tour, followed by matches against FC Seoul in South Korea on July 31st and Daegu FC on August 4th.

However, Vissel Kobe issued a statement on Friday confirming that, "following careful discussions with the relevant parties, the match scheduled for Sunday... will be held as planned." The Japanese club acknowledged "contractual issues" and stated they had been working with their owner to coordinate with all parties, including Barcelona, to ensure the match takes place.

Barcelona subsequently appeared to confirm their arrival in Japan, sharing a video on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday showing the team stepping off a plane with the caption "Konnichiwa, Japan!" In another post, they expressed, "We are really excited to be in Japan."