Barcelona are beaten 3-2 by Mexican side Club America in bizarre mid-season Dallas friendly after cash-strapped club were paid $5.5m to play just 30 hours after a LaLiga game.
2023 Club Friendlies
2-3
Match Report
Barcelona fell victim to a huge upset after losing their bizarre mid-season friendly against Liga MX champions Club America 3-2 on Thursday night.
They flew to Dallas, Texas for the friendly at the famed Cotton Bowl right after their 3-2 win over Almeria back in Spain that finished just 30 hours before.
The cash-strapped Spanish giants were paid $5.5million to play the game.
Xavi fielded a much-changed team with six teenagers in the lineup for Barcelona, with three of the youngsters making their senior debuts during the game.
Barcelona scored the first goal of the game when 16-year-old Lamine Yamal picked up the ball in midfield before charging forward and beating goalkeeper Angel Malagon to take a 1-0 lead after only six minutes.
Club America did not take long to tie things up after Colombia-born Mexico international Julian Quinones backheeled a pass from US international Alejandro Zendejas into the net only six minutes later.
Barcelona was able to reclaim the lead in the 28 minutes when 17-year-old Marc Guiu made the score 2-1 after connecting with a cross that was played into the box by fellow academy product Hector Fort.
The favorites took the lead into halftime only to see Quinones once again score an equalizer only five minutes into the second half.
Quinones won a dual against defender Pau Cubarsi in Barcelona's third of the field before beating 19-year-old goalkeeper Ander Astralaga.
After both teams made multiple substitutions as the half moved along Club America were able to take the lead in the 82 minute thanks to a goal from striker Henry Martín, who had only checked into the game in the 62nd minute.
The Liga MX Champions were able to hold onto their lead for the final minutes of the game despite Barcelona subbing in key players like Joao Cancelo and Robert Lewandowski.
Although they were defeated Barcelona received were reported to have received over $5 million to play the friendly and were more than happy to receive the money due to the team's finical struggles.
Line-ups
Barcelona XI: Christensen, De Jong, Felix, Marc Casadó, Aleix Garrido, Ander Astralaga, Lamine Yamal, Unai Hernández, Héctor Fort, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Guiu
Subs: Lewandowski, Gundogan, Romeu, Roberto, Cancelo, Pena, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Kounde, Mikayil Faye, Álex Baldé, Ángel Alarcón, Mamadou Mbacke, Fermín López, Pau Prim, Diego Kochen
CF América XI: J. dos Santos, L. Suárez, Jonathan Rodríguez, Álex Zendejas, Salvador Reyes, Julián Quiñones, Luis Malagón, Richard Sánchez, Kevin Álvarez, Israel Reyes, Ramón Juárez
Subs: Luis Fuentes, Óscar Jiménez, Igor Lichnovsky, Diego Valdés, Henry Martín, Álvaro Fidalgo, Sebastián Cáceres, B Rodriguez, Emilio Lara, Santiago Naveda