FC Barcelona’s hectic start of the season
Barça players face a hectic opening of the season, with five games in the first fifteen days - three league matches and the two Spanish Super Cup games against Real Madrid. In addition, next Monday’s Joan Gamper Estrella Damm Trophy pits them against Sampdoria.
Barcelona (FCB).- Tito Vilanova begins his first Spanish League season as Barça’s Manager on Sunday with the visit of Real Sociedad to the Camp Nou (21.00 CET). The Basques will be just the first of a series of five tough games in the first 15 days of the campaign, with two more League matches and the two legs of the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid all scheduled ahead of September’s international break.
First title up for grabs
Following the League opener, Barça – the Spanish Cup holders – entertain last season’s league winners Real Madrid in the first Classico of the season – the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday at the Camp Nou (22.30 CET). Six days later – August 29th – the return game at the Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium will also kick off at 22.30 (CET).
Between those two games, Barça will make their first away trip of the Spanish League campaign, when they travel to Pamplona to face Osasuna at 19.00 (CET) on Sunday August 26th, whilst the week after they entertain Valencia on Sunday September 2nd at eight in the evening.
Gamper Trophy on August 20th
As well as the five official games, Barça will also be playing the Joan Gamper Estrella Damm Trophy on Monday August 20th, with the official team presentation taking place at 21.20 (CET) and the game against Sampdoria following at 22 pm. The gates to the Camp Nou will open at 17 pm for the traditional pre-tournament Festa del Gamper.