Barcelona release fixture schedule, Sundowns' match still not listed

The Spanish giants have not listed their proposed friendly against the Brazilians in South Africa in their official end of season schedule

Barcelona have again omitted knowledge of a possible friendly match with South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Sundowns revealed on various platforms last weekend that the high-profile match will take place on May 16, 2018 at the iconic FNB Stadium.

The South African club also said their contract with Barcelona stipulates that the La Liga champions would bring their first team players for the proposed friendly.

However, the Spanish giants are yet to confirm the fixture or corroborate Sundowns' communications on the matter. In addition, the official FC Barcelona activity schedule released today, which tracks the activities of all the club's various sports teams, makes no mention of a trip to South Africa for the senior mens football team.

Goal correspondent Ignasi Oliva has been liaising with Barcelona to obtain confirmation of the friendly but has been told that the reports are untrue and no friendly match is lined-up for the 16th of May 2018.

According Oliva, who knows the ins and outs at Barcelona, no official at the club knows anything about the supposed fixture and a possible trip to South Africa next week.

The messages from SAFA, Caf, Sundowns and various South African media strongly indicate that a match between Sundowns and Barcelona is a possibility. But the continued secrecy about it from the Catalan club is intriguing and suggests that the deal for the friendly is yet to be signed, sealed and delivered.It is unknown what the sticking point is for the deal but it may have something to do with Barcelona's La Liga commitments and their desire not to fail in their quest to be crowned as the first unbeaten La Liga champions in modern history.

Goal will continue to monitor the situation in Spain and bring you all the latest developments on the proposed Sundowns v Barcelona fixture, as and when they happen.