Barcelona vs. Santos: Date, Time,where.

Barcelona welcome Brazilian side Santos to Camp Nou for a preseason clash with the Joan Gamper Trophy on the line. Barca are hoping to recapture the Cup after Italian club Sampdoria walked away with it last summer.

The match also marks Neymar's first match against his former club. The 21-year-old sensation starred with the Peixe for five years before moving to Barcelona, where it's hoped he'll play a major part in a bright future for the Spanish club.
Although it's a preseason match with bigger fixtures on the horizon, the Blaugrana should have extra motivation with a trophy up for grabs. At the same time, the search for top form continues after only securing a draw against Lechia Gdansk in their last game.

So Barcelona should have several objectives in mind as Santos arrive. Let's take a glance at all the information key to the clash, followed by a preview and prediction.


Preview

Aside from a seven-goal victory against an overmatched Valerenga squad, it's been a sluggish start to the preseason for Barcelona. A loss to defending European champions Bayern Munich and a draw against Lechia Gdansk illustrate the importance of preseason matches.
The dominant Spanish squad will be keen to ramp up their preparation efforts. With only around two weeks before the La Liga campaign gets underway, new manager Gerardo Martino will now be putting the pieces in place ahead of a busy season.

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A major part of that process is getting the aforementioned Neymar on the same page with Lionel Messi. They have extraordinary potential as an attacking duo, but it's going to take some time for them to build the necessary chemistry to terrorize opposing back lines.
Otherwise, most of the other main players remain in place for another season. Xavi and Andres Iniesta will continue to star in the midfield while Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique provide stability at the back.
One other player to watch is Alexis Sanchez, who's been one of the club's most impressive preseason performers. Finding a way to incorporate him on a regular basis with both Messi and Neymar in place is a challenge, but he's earned the playing time.

As for Santos, a couple of players have stepped up since Neymar's departure. The most intriguing is 19-year-old forward Neilton, who's netted four goals and should only continue to improve as he gains more experience with the Brazilian club.

Another player in good form is veteran midfielder Walter Montillo. Without Neymar to create chances via terrific individual runs, Santos is forced to rely more on steady build-ups to generate offense and Montillo is a vital part of that adjustment process.

That said, Santos isn't able to match Barcelona's level of talent. And with Barca needing to generate some momentum ahead of the new campaign, expect to see their most complete preseason performance to date back in their famous home on Friday.

It should be enough for them to win the Joan Gamper Trophy.

Where: Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain
When: Friday, Aug. 2 at 3 p.m. ET (8 p.m. BT)