Due to prior trips to Iran, the Barcelona coach arrived at the airport on Saturday with his team but was unable to travel with them to the United States.
Xavi
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez was unable to board the plane with his team on Saturday as they began their preseason tour of the United States.
The Blaugrana flew to the US to begin their 17-day tour of the country, which will include numerous workouts and preseason friendlies. Still, a bureaucratic snag has prevented their supervisor from traveling with them on the plane.
Due to his previous affiliation with Qatari club Al Sadd as a player and coach, Xavi has traveled to Iran three times in the past five years. As a result, the US government requested additional documentation from him to explain why he made so many trips to the Middle Eastern country given its relations with the US.
The necessary paperwork was supposed to arrive on Friday, but there was a delay, so the coach of the Catalan giants must now wait until Monday before he can go with his team to the US while he awaits news.
The club thought they had fixed the necessary bureaucratic requirements, so Xavi had gone to the airport in Barcelona with his teammates expecting to be a part of the trip. However, the trip was not approved, so he was forced to stay in Catalonia.
Xavi had gone to the airport with his team but was unable to board the flight to the United States. (Images)
Five Barcelona players were not invited to the tour because Xavi wants to find them other clubs in the upcoming weeks. As the team looks for buyers, goalkeeper Neto, defenders Oscar Mingueza and Samuel Umtiti, midfielder Riqui Puig, and forward Martin Braithwaite were all left off the roster.
Memphis Depay, who may be moved on during this transfer window, is in the squad along with Frenkie de Jong, who has been extensively linked with a move to Manchester United. Raphinha, Franck Kessie, and Andreas Christensen are recent additions, while Ousmane Dembele, who recently signed a new deal, is also featured.
The first match of Barca's US tour will be against Inter Miami in Florida on July 20, followed by matches against Real Madrid in Las Vegas and Dallas on July 26 and Juventus on July 28. On July 31, they will play the New York Red Bulls to round off their US tour.
Pedri, Memphis, Ansu Fati, Nico, Jordi Alba, Ferran Torres, Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong, Eric Garcia, Aubameyang, Gavi, Inaki Pena, Pjanic, Collado, Kessie, Christensen, Raphinha, Arnau Tenas, Pablo Torre, Balde, Abde, Casado, and the 28 players listed below make up Barcelona's preseason squad for
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