It’s an old friends' reunion in this box office pre-season fixture. FC Seoul hosts Spanish champions Barcelona on Thursday at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in what promises to be an electric friendly.
For Jesse Lingard, who will be reuniting with old pal Rashford, it’s a chance to lead by example. For Hansi Flick, it’s another step toward fine-tuning his title-winning juggernaut.
The two sides meet at very different stages in their seasons. Seoul are midway through a demanding K League 1 campaign. Barcelona are in tour mode but already showing signs of cohesion under Flick’s second pre-season as boss.
🟥🟦 Barcelona have won 4 of their last 5 games.
🔴⚫ FC Seoul have won 3 of their last 4 matches.
♻️ FC Seoul vs Barcelona Key Stats 📊:
📊 Last Meeting: First-ever match between both clubs.
📊 Barcelona beat Vissel Kobe 3-1 in their last match.
📊 Jesse Lingard has 7 goals in K League 1 this season.
📊 Seoul are currently 4th in K League 1.
🔬 What to Expect From Both Teams 🔥:
🔴⚫FC Seoul:
Kim Gi-dong’s side comes into this one with real momentum. A gritty 1-0 win over Daejeon last weekend proved their growing resilience. Jesse Lingard continues to be their star man, netting his seventh league goal with a composed penalty.
Backed by a strong home crowd, they’ll be eager to make life difficult for the Spanish giants. Patryk Klimala remains a doubt, while defender Jun Choi is expected to return after suspension.
🟥🟦 Barcelona:
Hansi Flick’s domestic treble winners are in South Korea with confidence, fresh off a 3-1 win over Vissel Kobe. New signings Joan Garcia, Marcus Rashford, and Roony Bardghji all featured. Bardghji grabbed his first goal for the club.
With fixtures against Daegu and Como still ahead, Flick is likely to rotate again. Robert Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong are in line to start, while Eric Garcia is a doubt due to a leg issue.
👥 Predicted Lineups 👥:
FC Seoul (4-4-2):
Kang (GK); Choi, Al Arab, Kim Ju-sung, Kim Jin-su; Oliveira, Jeong, Hwang, Silva; Lingard, Cho.
Barcelona (4-3-3):
J. Garcia (GK); Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
🔥 Matchups & Players to Watch 👀:
🔹 Jesse Lingard vs Rashford – The two former United men go head-to-head.
🔹 Roony Bardghji – Scored his first Barca goal vs Kobe, hungry for more.
🔹 De Jong vs Jeong – Midfield intelligence will shape the tempo.
🔹 Lamine Yamal – Did not impress as he does in the first game, might want to make that right.
💵 Odds Market on MSport 💵:
💵 Barcelona to win – 1.19 ✅
💵 Handicap 3:0 Home – 1.62 ✅
💵 Over 3.5 total goals – 1.60 ✅
This isn't just a runaround. Seoul are using this to test themselves against one of Europe’s most elite teams. For Barcelona, it's not just about fitness—Flick is building on a treble-winning base, with new faces staking claims.
So, who wins? Let us know in the comments below.
🔗 You can follow the Arsenal vs Newcastle pre-season friendly here on MSport.
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