DUBLIN’S AVIVA STADIUM will host a pre-season friendly between Barcelona and Celtic as part of the International Champions Cup this summer.
The game will be played at Lansdowne Road on Saturday 30 July while Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool may also face Barcelona in the capital a week later, although a venue has yet to be confirmed for that fixture.
The schedule for the International Champions Cup, an annual pre-season tournament involving 13 clubs, was announced this afternoon in New York.
Premier League sides Manchester City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool and league leaders Leicester are all involved in 2016.
Celtic and Liverpool previously met in a pre-season friendly at the Aviva Stadium in 2013 while the Scottish champions, Man City and Inter Milan all featured in the ‘Dublin Super Cup’ in 2011.
The game is sure to be a big attraction for fans in Ireland with Celtic boasting a large following here. In addition, the visit of Barcelona, with global icons such as Lionel Messi and Neymar in their ranks, will prove hugely popular.
The Spanish giants’ last visit to Ireland was over a decade ago when they faced Derry City at the Brandywell.
A proposed friendly against Limerick in Thomond Park six years ago was controversially blocked by the FAI.
It’s not yet known when a venue for Barcelona’s clash with Liverpool will be confirmed with Dublin a potential host city.
A kick-off time and ticket details for Celtic’s meeting with the European champions have yet to be released by tournament organisers.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
With the Euros and Copa America this summer, don’t expect to see many stars on show.
The last time Liverpool played it was an embarrassment. Playing a local team and 95% of the stadium kitted out in Liverpool gear to watch a reserve Liverpool team. We’re a great country but we have some ammount of idiots.
You can’t spell ‘party’ without ‘Artie’
With Liverpool playing don’t expect many stars
Two champions league sides and Liverpool. Not too bad.
Jesus, if Celtic make the Champions League proper it will be some feat especially if Ronnie’s still in charge
One good result and Niall comes out from under his rock
Deadly Buzz!!!
Celtic reserves v Barca reserves!
I’m all over it!!
Celtics first team is a feckin reserve team!! Btw will thy be singing God save the queen or flower of Scotland before kick off?
You haven’t a clue obviously
Hopefully Ronnie gets the boot well before the Champions league qualifiers.. Celtic are absolute mince to watch at the moment.. That team should have won the SPL by last Xmas but he’s managed to make a title race out of the worst SPL in history
Great to have an Irish clubs like Celtic & Liverpool involved….
Exactly. Just like that Liverpool/Rovers game. €40/€50 a ticket and the reserves were out. Even though Coutinho, Agger and Skrtel were all available and not playing in an international tournament that summer.
It was funny listening to the commentator giving out about that and saying that the Irish public had been duped by Liverpool and they’d be better off following the Irish league before the Liverpool kids went out and beat Rovers senior team.
I doubt Barcelona would play Messi unless it’s a condition of the contract.
If he isn’t playing I wouldn’t go across the road to see it.
And fuc all senior players on the pitch and still expected to pay mad money to see your team..
Fools and their money
Dundalk are better then celtic fact. Why cant they be invited
What are you smoking?? Celtic are better than dundalk now that is a FACT.
Aviva is an embarrassment of a 3/4 stadium. the funny thing is if they rotated it 90 degrees they would have had room for a full size stadium, but wanted to keep some old pitch there for local club to train
Never understood why one end has barely any seats. It looks stupid and it’s such a waste
The Aviva is a terrible stadium. You’d understand the total lack of facilities if it was 60 years old, but it is apparently modern. I’ve see enough sports in enough stadia to know what makes a stadium awful. And the Aviva has it all.
In fairness it is in a tight residential area
This will be Celtic’s 4th game at the Aviva, as far as I’m aware. Only one Irish club team has played there more than twice, and that’s Sligo Rovers.
Is Liverpool a big club?
they once were yes
Last Century ,
Tell me how big Blue are? Reached Quarters of CL, called it history, and all you saw were empty seats……
I love this premiership bants, presumably the British soccer team you chose are now considered bigger, probably because some dodgy oil guy took them over and pumped huge sums of money into then.., hohoho what a laugh following British soccer is.
Sheriff and Kilbarrack have played there a good few times…
A week before the season kicks off, might be a chance of seeing some of the first team and maybe a few new signings.
Id be surprised if he’s still there. Hasnt a rashers.
A good win? What are you talking about? I’m referring to the teams mentioned for games in the Aviva. Two of which are champions league clubs. The other is Liverpool.
Your actually right, but nice to see the organizers invite big clubs only.
Celtic despite being of the same standard as the top league one teams are a big draw for their loyal fans in Ireland.
Dundalk deserve to play Barca far more. Dundalk went the distance with Bate Borisov who are miles ahead of Celtic so its obvious they would be at a similar level to Celtic despite the financial disparity.
This will be Celtic’s 4th game at the Aviva, as far as I’m aware. The only Irish club to have played there more than twice is Sligo Rovers.
I wonder will they charge a 2 year old full adult price like what the NCAA American Football game are doing.
So a real football club and two comedy acts…!
don’t be silly trev good lad.
Champions cup! Ok I can understand Barca and Celtic have a great chance to be champions of their respective leagues but what are Liverpool doing in it?
They still are for some reason.