Manchester United to face local rivals Manchester City on pre-season tour

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 21 March 2017

Manchester United announce that they will face local rivals Manchester City, as well as Real Madrid and Barcelona, during a five-match pre-season tour of USA.

Manchester United have announced that they will face local rivals Manchester City, as well as Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, on their pre-season tour of the United States.

United's clash with City, which will see Jose Mourinho come up against former El Clasico rival Pep Guardiola once again, will be the first Manchester derby played overseas after last season's scheduled match in Beijing was cancelled due to concerns about the pitch.

The venue for that match is yet to be announced, but United will face Real Madrid at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on July 23 before taking on Barcelona at FedEx Field in Washington DC three days later.

United's five-match tour of the USA will begin with games against Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake before the International Champions Cup gets underway with the Manchester derby on July 20.

"Tours are vital for the team's preparations for the season ahead and we are facing top-class opposition in world-class stadiums, ensuring it is the ideal environment for the manager and team to prepare," United chief executive Ed Woodward told the club's official website.

"Everybody is excited for the tour and it gives us the opportunity to play in front of some of the millions of Manchester United supporters which we have across the USA."

The American section of the ICC will also see Man City take on Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid, while Spurs will face Paris Saint-Germain and Roma during their time in the States.

Real Madrid and Barcelona will face off in a pre-season El Clasico at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on July 29.