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FC Barcelona have confirmed through their official Twitter page that they’ve invited Brazilian club Chapecoense to play in the 2017 Gamper Trophy, an annual preseason friendly match held in August at Barca’s Camp Nou stadium.
According to the club, the match “aims to help with the reconstruction of [Chapecoense]” following the tragic airplane accident which claimed the lives of 71 people, including 19 of Chapecoense’s players.
FC Barcelona invites Chapecoense to the 2017 Gamper Trophy and aims to help with the reconstruction of the club: https://t.co/rXWZOcTybB pic.twitter.com/DgHjLglCfv
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 8, 2016
According to a statement from the Spanish club, “Barcelona want to pay homage to the 71 people who died in the accident and their families. The club will work so that the Joan Gamper Trophy 2017 provides a huge homage to them from the football world through different initiatives surrounding the game.
“With the invitation of Chapecoense to the Joan Gamper Trophy, Barcelona want to collaborate with the institutional and sporting reconstruction of the club and help them recover the competitive level they had.
“Barcelona sent a formal letter to Chapecoense’s current board of directors on Thursday.”
The news follows an emotional Wednesday for Chapecoense. Fans flocked to the Estadio Couto Pereira to pay tribute on what was supposed to be the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana finals.
"Olê olê olê olê, Chape, Chape"! uma noite inesquecível no Couto Pereira em homenagem à @ChapecoenseReal !!! pic.twitter.com/le2pwjj3KS
— Monique Silva (@Monique_Silva) December 8, 2016
(H/T: ESPN FC)
