The pre-season friendly between Vissel Kobe and FC Barcelona took place in Japan as the first fixture of Barcelona’s 2025/26 pre-season campaign[3]. Barcelona entered the new pre-season riding the momentum of a successful previous year in Spain, having just secured a domestic treble—La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Copa del Rey. Their only disappointment in 2024/25 was a narrow Champions League defeat in the semi-final against Inter Milan[1].
Barcelona fielded several new signings for their tour, including Joan Garcia, Roony Bardghji, and Marcus Rashford. However, in the match against Vissel Kobe at Noevir Stadium, Marcus Rashford was benched and did not begin the game as part of the starting eleven[4]. Torres returned to action for Barcelona, appearing in the starting lineup after recovering from an abdominal injury[5].
Vissel Kobe, meanwhile, arrived at the match in strong form, sitting atop the J1 League table and unbeaten since May. The team, led by manager Takayuki Yoshida, entered the game on a run of four consecutive wins in all competitions[1].
The match was seen as an opportunity for Barcelona’s new manager, Hansi Flick, to instill style, chemistry, and intensity in the squad ahead of the upcoming season[2]. Despite being a friendly, the fixture drew significant attention, both for the debut of big-name signings and as a key benchmark for pre-season preparations.
References
- [1] How to watch today’s Vissel Kobe vs Barcelona pre-season friendly: Live stream, TV channel, and start time
- [2] Barcelona vs Vissel Kobe | pre-season friendly – YouTube
- [3] Vissel Kobe v FC Barcelona: Football is back
- [4] Marcus Rashford benched in Barcelona’s first pre-season game
- [5] Vissel Kobe vs. Barcelona – July 27, 2025