Barcelona to play Chapecoense in pre-season friendly

Barcelona have invited Brazilian club Chapecoense to play them in a pre-season friendly next summer.

Nineteen Chapecoense players and staff were among 71 people killed in a plane crash as the team travelled to Colombia for the Copa Sudamericana’s first leg.

The friendly would be for the Joan Gamper trophy, which is an annual match between Barcelona and an invited team.

Three Chapecoense players were among six people that survive the crash.

Barcelona said they wanted to make the Joan Gamper trophy “a great tribute to the world of football through various activities around this match”.