Birmingham City Overview

Hansi Flick’s pre-season preparations have hit a significant roadblock after Barcelona were forced to cancel a scheduled friendly against Preston North End. The Spanish giants were due to face the Lilywhites in a behind-closed-doors clash on Monday morning, but the fixture has been abandoned following a series of availability issues within the English club’s camp.

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has offered a surprisingly blunt assessment of Karim Adeyemi's first appearance in a Blaugrana shirt following a 2-2 draw with Birmingham City. The German tactician admitted the debut was underwhelming but remains confident that the former Borussia Dortmund man has significantly more to offer.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed he is recovering after being admitted to hospital for a heart procedure. The 64-year-old was forced to cancel his planned trip to England to join the club’s pre-season training camp following the detection of an arrhythmia.

Kyogo Furuhashi has officially completed a transfer to the LA Galaxy, leaving Birmingham City after a highly disappointing spell. The Japanese forward struggled to find his form in the Championship following his £10 million ($13m) move, which ultimately led to him missing the 2026 World Cup. Now, Furuhashi hopes to revive his career in Major League Soccer and regain his prolific goalscoring touch.