Yahoo Sports Barcelona could receive boost with striker’s early return following EURO elimination
Barcelona’s pre-season campaign under Hansi Flick is looking more promising than initially expected, thanks to an unexpected boost.
Veteran forward Robert Lewandowski might rejoin the team earlier than anticipated and this change comes after Poland’s early exit from the Euros.
Poland was the first team to be eliminated from the Euro Cup, a disappointing outcome that was confirmed this past Friday.
The elimination came after Poland lost 1-3 to Austria, and the Netherlands and France played to a 0-0 draw.
Reflecting on the loss, Lewandowski pointed out that although this experience was good for young players, for him, personally, he does not want to find anything positive.
“Naturally you can say that in a tournament like this, there is always something positive, for example, the experience because we have many young players,” said the forward following defeat to Austria.
“But at the moment I don’t want to start looking for anything positive because we have lost an important match,” he added.
What does Barcelona’s pre-season look like?
Barcelona’s pre-season plans include high-profile matches in the United States against some of Europe’s top clubs.
The team will travel to the U.S. at the end of July, kicking off their tour with a match against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on July 30 at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Following this, they will head to New Jersey for another significant game. On August 3, they will face their arch-rivals, Real Madrid, at the MetLife Stadium. This pre-season Clasico is expected to draw a lot of attention.
The final match of their U.S. tour will be against AC Milan in Baltimore on August 6. After this game, Barcelona will return to Catalonia to complete their preparations for the upcoming season.
Barcelona will be without key players
It is important to note that Barcelona might be without several key players for this tour. The summer is packed with international football, including Euro 2024 and the Paris Olympics.
These events could see some Barcelona players missing the tour due to their commitments with national teams.
However, with Poland out of the Euros, Lewandowski now has the opportunity to rest and recharge. He can spend time on holiday and return to Barcelona fully fit.
His early return will be a significant advantage for the team, as they prepare for their challenging pre-season matches and the new campaign ahead.
