Barça Legends players and former Barça futsal players are set to travel to Kobe to play a game of futsal at the Glion Arena against a team of Real Madrid Leyenda players on 25 May (kickoff 2.00pm local time, 7.00pm in Barcelona). The game represents a new innovative format in which the technical quality and speed of sportspersons from two different yet complementary sports will mix. In countries such as Brazil – who are world renowned for futsal – boys and girls start playing futsal before setting out in football. Players such as Ronaldinho and Neymar among others shone on the 40x20 before becoming football players.

The game will see Barça Legends able to call on Andrés Iniesta, Javier Saviola, Ludovic Giuly, Gaizka Mendieta, Marc Valiente and Romario, plus futsal specialists and former idols of the Palau such as Jordi Torras, Javi Rodríguez, Paco Sedano, Fernandao, and Carlos Ortiz.

Saviola took the reverse route

Javier Saviola played both sports, but he did it the other way to most players. Now residing in Andorra since he retired from professional football, he joined FC Encamp in 2018, two years after retirement. FC Encamp are a first division side in Andorra, and Saviola played “baby futbol” – as it is known in Argentina – for two seasons for them.