The friendly games between clubs just keep on coming at this point and many teams are no doubt getting used to the normal hustle which the league would no doubt introduce. One of such teams which would surely need time to gel this season would be Barcelona. With Griezmann joining the teams and Neymar seemingly on his way back, it seems like there would be a lot of things that would need to come together to ensure that they get the price which they have coveted so much. However, for now, they head to the Saitama stadium to play Chelsea who would not be happy with their current transfer state.
Chelsea
It sucks to be banned. However, this is what Chelsea are poised to deal with for a very long time coming. They have been banned for the next two season for using the transfer market in any way and that would surely have left them feeling gutted, to say the least. This, when combined with the fact that they have lost their best person in the person of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, makes the matter even more complicated today. However, they still have the players to compete in the league and would surely be looking forward to this when the season starts. A win against Barcelona would all but settle the nerves which would surely be there as they see their rivals strengthen considerably for the new season.
Barcelona
Barcelona is a team after just one price. At first, it seemed fun to consistently win the League and have their rivals consistently win the Champions League. Soon though, it became quite clear that winning the League was no longer enough. They would have to win the main price if they want to stay relevant. The purchase of several players is considered to be fundamental to achieving this goal. Their first test would be a friendly against Chelsea in a relaxed environment which would perfect for them to gel as a team. They have suffered from a bad spell of games which they would want to vanish from their heads.
Form
Three losses out of the last six games which have been played. That is where Barcelona currently are in the stream of time. Taking in their losses against Liverpool and other crucial defeats such as the one in Copa Del Rey would give you the full story on how their season has gone. Their pre-season finally kicks off and they would be eager to put those matches behind them.
Chelsea, however, did not lose a game in their last six games. The matches were equal with three wins and three draws. This would include their two earlier friendly matches which were against St. Patricks and the Bohemians earlier at the start of their pre-season. This shows that they come into this game having attained a level of fitness which Barcelona are yet to reach in their season. That could prove to be the deciding feature in this game or match.
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