Barcelona has made a last-minute decision, pulling out of a friendly match scheduled for next week in Libya. This sudden move leaves a vacant spot on the calendar. Interestingly, it wasn’t a half-time substitution, but a withdrawal before the game even started. This happened during the league’s break for national team commitments.
The Catalan club’s decision wasn’t without consequence. ‘Mundo Deportivo’ shared that Barcelona backed out due to safety concerns. They also cited a lack of proper guarantees for the trip. Spanish media even hinted that new coach Hansi Flick directly refused the trip. He reportedly wanted to avoid overworking his players. As a result of this withdrawal, Barcelona must now return 5 million euros. The match promoters had already paid this sum to the club.
With Barcelona out, a new contender stepped in. Atlético Madrid will now travel to Benghazi. They are set to face Inter Milan at the International Stadium in the Libyan city. This specific game is called the Reconstruction Cup-FDRL. It’s meant to honor the clubs for helping to put Libya back on the map for sporting events.