Barcelona defeated Napoli 2-4 in UEFA Europa League. The fixture is part of the Knockout Round Play-offs stage in the 2021 season. The match was played at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Napoli. S. Karasev officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Napoli vs Barcelona meeting in UEFA Europa League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Napoli and Barcelona. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
UEFA Europa League
Napoli NAP
Barcelona BARRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Inter Miami are reportedly looking to pair up Kevin De Bruyne with Lionel Messi, while some other MLS clubs are also monitoring the Belgian's potential signing. Lionel Messi received a massive boost during the 2026 summer transfer window when Brazilian powerhouse Casemiro signed on to anchor Inter Miami‘s midfield. Now, a marquee target has resurfaced, with reports indicating the South Florida franchise wants to pair Kevin De Bruyne alongside Messi despite growing competition across Major League Soccer. According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, De Bruyne could be granted an exit route from Napoli during the current transfer window. Following a Scudetto-winning campaign in his debut season, the 2025-26 stretch proved challenging for the Belgian playmaker, who missed significant time between late October and late February due to a leg flexor injury. A transfer during the current window represents Napoli’s cleanest path to securing a return on investment for De Bruyne, whose deal with the Italian side runs through June 2027. Under those terms, Mundo Deportivo reports that Inter Miami remains eager to pair the midfield maestro with Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Rodrigo De Paul. Back in June 2025, both Inter Miami and expansion side San Diego FC submitted inquiries regarding a potential move to MLS, a destination that remains attractive to the player. While De Bruyne chose to remain in Europe at the time, the 35-year-old coming off his final World Cup run in 2026 is increasingly open to a North American transition. Kevin De Bruyne #7 of Belgium applauds fans after the elimination from the 2026 World Cup. Inter Miami faces domestic competition for De Bruyne Sharing the pitch with Messi has emerged as Inter Miami’s ultimate recruitment tool, appealing to former Barcelona teammates like Suarez, international colleagues like De Paul, and former rivals like Sergio Reguilón and Casemiro. However, with all Designated Player spots currently occupied and General Allocation Money (GAM) capped, rival clubs are positioning themselves to swoop in. Mundo Deportivo reports that the Chicago Fire and San Diego FC are actively monitoring De Bruyne’s availability. Chicago holds an open Designated Player slot following the departure of leading scorer Hugo Cuypers, while San Diego could open a slot through a potential departure of Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, giving both clubs a roster flexibility advantage over Miami. Inter Miami holds crucial regulatory edge Speculation surrounding De Bruyne intensified following reports from The Athletic that MLS owners are pushing for roster rule modifications, specifically moving toward a more flexible salary structure. While structural rule changes won’t offer immediate relief, the Herons still possess a major leverage point over their domestic rivals. Inter Miami currently controls De Bruyne’s MLS Discovery Rights, positioning the club to lead any negotiations should the Belgian decide to make the move stateside. Miami filed for those rights following his departure from Manchester City, meaning both Chicago and San Diego would have to trade for those rights with South Florida before making a formal contract offer to the player.
Due to lack of first-team players, the friendly between FC Barcelona and Preston North End has been called off, in a sudden setback for head coach Hansi Flick and his preseason preparations. Hansi Flick is back at the helm for FC Barcelona‘s preseason following a recent contract extension with the Spanish giant. However, the German manager’s preparations in England hit an unexpected snag when a scheduled friendly against Preston North End was abruptly canceled due to a player shortage on the opposition’s side. During their camp in the British Isles, Barcelona planned two exhibition matches, starting with Friday’s fixture against Birmingham City and concluding with a Monday matchup against Preston North End. While the opener resulted in a 2-2 draw (followed by a 3-2 loss in a penalty shootout), Monday’s game against the Lilywhites was officially scrapped. Preston North End, originally set to face Barcelona on Monday, Aug. 3, contacted the Spanish club to disclose that they lacked enough fit first-team players to fulfill the fixture. The Championship side is slated to open its competitive campaign Saturday in the Carabao Cup against Huddersfield Town, prompting the coaching staff to protect their remaining senior squad from potential injuries. Preston proposed playing the exhibition using their U-21 roster instead. As reported by Spanish outlet Diario Sport, Barcelona rejected the alternative, opting to replace the match with a standard training session and ultimately pulling the plug on the contest. Warming up for a big day of training. 🏋️♀️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/A3NLma3Bum— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 2, 2026 The matchup at St. George’s Park was scheduled to be Barcelona’s third preseason test and their final fixture in England. Under the circumstances, Flick will accelerate the team’s return to Spain to continue preparations while awaiting the arrival of several key international stars, most notably Spain’s World Cup winners. What’s next on Barcelona’s preseason schedule? Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi, and Wojciech Szczesny headline the prominent veterans who traveled to England for the training camp rather than taking extended time off. Meanwhile, the club’s World Cup participants are expected to rejoin Flick’s squad once the team arrives back in Catalonia ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. Upon returning to Spain, Barcelona’s next test comes Friday, Aug. 8, in a triangular tournament against Udinese and Nottingham Forest. Marking the inaugural Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup in Udine, Italy, the Spanish, Italian, and English sides will face off on the same day in condensed 45-minute matches. Barcelona will then cap off its exhibition calendar with the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy on Aug. 19 at Spotify Camp Nou against Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly. With five tune-up matches instead of the six originally planned, Flick’s squad will kick off its 2026-27 La Liga campaign on Sunday, August 23, traveling to face Elche for their league opener.
Barcelona faced Birmingham City in a pre-season game that ended in a 2-2 draw, with the Catalan club losing on penalties.Hansi Flick was without most of his first-team and had to rely on youth to make...
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