Hansi Flick removes youngsters from Barcelona preseason after Marcus Rashford deal | OneFootball

With Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford already in Barcelona and set to train with the team this afternoon, manager Hansi Flick has started making decisions for their preseason tour. The German manager will take just 25 players with him, despite beginning with 35 players, not including Rashford and captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Rashford has been seen recording what looks to be like an announcement video on the training ground from a distance. He is set to be presented as their new signing on Wednesday, and has arrived just in time as Barcelona will depart for South Korea and Japan on Thursday at 11:00 CEST.

Preseason plans for Japan and South Korea confirmed

Flick plans to get four training sessions in between their arrival on Friday morning local time in Kobe, Japan, and their Sunday evening game against Vissel Kobe, their first preseason clash. Sport detail that the Blaugrana remain in Kobe until Tuesday the 29th of July, when they travel to Seoul for their next game against FC Seoul on Thursday the 31st at 13:00 CEST. On Monday the 4th of August, they leave the South Korean capital to face Daegu FC at 13:00 CEST, before leaving for Barcelona again. They return from their schedule at 08:30 CEST in Barcelona on the 5th of August.

Image via Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Senior players that will not make the preseason plane

Barcelona do not plan to take ter Stegen, who remains injured and training alone in hope of some improvement with his back issues. His alternative is surgery that could rule him out for four months. Oriol Romeu and Inaki Pena are set to remain in Barcelona to resolve their future, but Pau Victor, also expected to leave, will travel.

Flick returns youth players to Barca Atletic

Flick has also begun discarding the first youth players from the squad, with Juan Hernandez, Jan Virgili and Landry Farre all joining up with Barca Atletic’s preseason, report MD. Ibrahima Diarra has been ruled out through injury, but Guille Fernandez, Toni Fernandez, Jofre Torrents Dro Fernandez and Roony Bardghji have remained with the senior side for now, with the latter three likely to be on the plane to South-East Asia.