BARCELONA
Barcelona postpone proposed Al-Ahli friendly in Doha
The Catalan club explained that due to the busy schedules which both clubs have next week, it wasn’t practical to stage the match.
FC Barcelona's scheduled friendly against Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli Saudi FC in Doha, Qatar, has been cancelled by the club's Qatari sponsors just six days before the game was due to take place.
“Qatar Airways, the host and sponsor of the friendly match between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahli Saudi FC, which was scheduled to be played on 24 May in Doha, has opted to postpone the game,” Barcelona announced in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
“That same week, the region is also hosting the prestigious Emir Cup Final, as well as games being played in the AFC League. The coincidence of the match with these major sporting events means that the game will now be postponed to a later date in order to encourage the best possible attendance”.
Barça added that they would announce further updates on the friendly match once a suitable date is found.
The news comes as talks over extending Qatar Airways' shirt sponsorship of the five-time European champions continues to stall. Barça signed a 150 million euro ($170 million) five-year deal with the Qatar Foundation in 2010 which runs out at the end of this season.