Manchester City are set to travel to a training camp in Catalonia less than a day after the start of their league season.
Pep Guardiola will take his squad to Spain for a four-day stay hours after kicking off their campaign at Brighton, Premier League newcomers, on 12 August.
The trip will also include a friendly against Girona, who are set to make their debut in Spain’s top flight this season. The match will take place at Girona’s Estadi Montilivi on 15 August.
The club say it is a chance for Guardiola to work with his full squad as some players, including the summer arrival Bernardo Silva, missed the pre-season trip to the USA, where City played Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham.
Manchester City have established links with Girona in recent years, with Pablo Maffeo, Angelino and Pablo Mari going to Spain on loan last season – although Angelino did not play for the Catalan side.
Maffeo has rejoined Girona on loan for this season, in a deal announced on Monday. Girona’s players have also travelled to Manchester this summer to use training facilities at the Premier League club’s City Football Academy.
Txiki Begiristain, the club’s director of football, told mancity.com: “This trip is a great opportunity for Pep to work with his full squad in an intensive training camp.”
“We have had some players away on international duty this summer, which means Pep hasn’t had the chance to work for long with the whole squad,” he added.
Manchester City’s second Premier League match is at home to Everton on 21 August. Guardiola’s side will take on West Ham in a friendly in Reykjavik on 4 August before the trip to Brighton.