Bengaluru FC to play Barcelona, Villarreal reserve sides in preparation for AFC Cup

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC, one of Indian football’s best clubs in recent years, will be up against the reserve teams of Spanish giants FC Barcelona and Villarreal in their pre-season friendly matches. [caption id=“attachment_4838081” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Bengaluru FC had to settle for second place in the 2016 AFC Cup, losing to Iraqi club Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the final. Reuters[/caption] “We’ve got some big news coming in! The Blues are off to Spain for a pre-season that includes games against @FCBarcelonaB and @VillarrealCF B. Stay tuned!” Bengaluru FC wrote on its official twitter handle. Bengaluru FC are currently in pre-season training at their residential facilities in Bellary, following which they will fly out to Spain for a fortnight pre-season camp. The Blues’ first competitive match of the season kicks off in less than a month, as they take on Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr FK in a two-legged Inter-Zone semifinal of the AFC Cup, on 22 and 29 August. The two-time I-League champions will also be training at the Masia La Grava facility in Valencia and would play a series of friendly games against 2015 AFC Champions League runners-up Shabab Al Ahli Dubai FC and Spanish Segunda B side, Atletico Saguntino ahead of their two-legged Inter-Zone clash against Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr FC.

Masa La Grava boasts of two full sized natural turfs apart from multiple artificial turfs.