Barcelona president Joan Laporta will not attend the club's pre-season friendly against Birmingham City after revealing he is recovering from a heart condition. Laporta was admitted to hospital due to an arrhythmia and underwent a successful procedure to restore normal heart rhythm. His recovery prevents him from traveling to England for the match at St. Andrew's on Friday.
Laporta's Health Scare and Recovery
Laporta had been scheduled to join the Barcelona delegation in Birmingham as part of the team's preparations. However, he was hospitalized after the arrhythmia was detected. In a statement on social media, Laporta confirmed the operation went well: "Everything went well. My arrhythmia has been reversed. My heart is beating rhythmically again."
He expressed gratitude to the medical team at Hospital de Barcelona, led by Dr. Jordi Morillas, and also thanked Barcelona's medical services under Dr. Xavier Corbella, as well as his chief of staff Manana Giorgadze. Additionally, he acknowledged advice from Dr. Valentí Fuster at Mount Sinai and Dr. Brugada for recommending the procedure.
Karim Adeyemi Set for Debut
While Laporta recovers, new signing Karim Adeyemi is expected to make his first appearance for the Catalan club. The attacker, who joined from Borussia Dortmund this summer for a reported fee of around £69 million, has not yet played for Barcelona. He was an unused substitute in a recent friendly against CE Europa but has trained intensively this week.
Manager Hansi Flick is considering giving Adeyemi playing time against Birmingham City to build his match fitness. The 21-year-old Germany international is eager to showcase his abilities in the Blaugrana shirt.
Anthony Gordon Absent
England international Anthony Gordon will not feature in the match. The winger, who moved from Newcastle United to Barcelona in a deal worth £69 million, has been granted extended leave following England's run to the World Cup semi-finals. Gordon signed a contract until 2031 but is still recovering from his exertions with the national team over the summer.
Barcelona's squad is currently based at St George's Park for training before the friendly. The match against Birmingham City, managed by Chris Davies, is part of their pre-season preparations. Fans are eager to see new signings and emerging talents in action.
