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Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said he and and his players are helping the club financially by playing a friendly against Club América in the United States just 30 hours after their 3-2 LaLiga win over Almería.
Sources have told ESPN that Barça stand to make €5 million from the match at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas.
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“It is always a pleasure to go to Dallas,” Xavi said after Sergi Roberto‘s 83rd-minute winner secured three points against the league’s bottom side Almería.
“We know the club’s situation. We all have to row in the same direction to sustain the club financially.
“We have always been treated well [in America]. We will try to be at our best and give minutes to everyone who travels as part of the squad.”
Barça flew to Dallas immediately after Wednesday’s win over Almería ahead of Thursday’s meeting with Club América, who were crowned Mexican champions last weekend.
Xavi has called up all available first-team players for the trip, although several members of the squad will not travel due to injury.
Ronald Araújo and Pedri this week joined Marc-André ter Stegen, Gavi, Iñigo Martínez and Marcos Alonso on the sidelines.
Therefore, many players from the B team and the youth team have been summoned to make up the numbers, including striker Marc Guiu, who has scored twice in 44 minutes for the senior side.
In addition to pre-season tours of the U.S., Barça have increasingly played mid-season and end-of-season matches abroad in a bid to raise money.
They have also played one-off matches in Japan, Australia and South Africa in recent years.
After the game in Dallas, Barça’s next match is not until Jan. 4, when they travel to Las Palmas in LaLiga, with the Spanish league stopping for a short break over the Christmas period.
Barça are currently third in LaLiga, six points behind Girona and four behind Real Madrid, who both play have games in hand to be played on Thursday.