Barcelona optimistic about Arsenal friendly after virus outbreak

Barcelona are optimistic that they will be able to take to the field against Arsenal on Wednesday in Los Angeles, despite a virus that decimated the squad.

The Blaugrana had to cancel their first preseason friendly against Juventus after a number of players fell ill, but it is thought that Jules Kounde, Oriol Romeu and Alejandro Balde, some of the first to fall ill, will all be fit for Wednesday.

The club released a statement on Sunday evening, urging fans to attend the match, and Diario AS say that there were no new cases within the camp on Sunday. While one or two players may miss the match, Barcelona are set to have a double training session on Monday. They will then have a final session on Tuesday before the match.

Barcelona are believed to have lost a few million euros from the cancellation of the friendly, and beyond the damage to their preparations for the new season, their accountants will no doubt be pointing out that this needs to be recovered in their plans for the new season.