Trofeu Joan Gamper 2015

The Joan Gamper Trophy, named for FC Barcelona’s founder, marks the start of the team’s new season. Traditionally played towards the middle of August, when locals are returning from their summer holidays but before the serious business of La Liga gets going, it’s a chance to see the big stars in action, alongside the club’s newest signings. Inaugurated in 1966, it used to be a four-game mini-tournament, but is now a single friendly, often against somewhat inferior opposition. Visiting teams face the added pressure of playing in front of up to 99,000 home fans, and the usually one-sided game shows off the home players to their best advantage – in the past four Joan Gampers, Barça scored 19 goals but let in only one.