According to Sport, Barcelona made a brief 10-hour trip to Italy to participate in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup.

The Barcelona delegation arrived at Trieste Airport around 1:30 PM before heading directly to a hotel in a small town near Udine. After a brief rest, the team traveled to Friuli Stadium after 6:30 PM for the evening's fixtures.

Vice President Rafa Yuste led the club delegation. President Laporta remained in Barcelona recuperating from a recent bout of arrhythmia; doctors have advised him against flying. Sporting director Deco stayed behind to handle transfer matters. Coach Hansi Flick attended to scout the opposition.

The opening match kicked off at 8 PM with Udinese facing Nottingham Forest. Flick watched from the sidelines and dugout, observing the opponent's tactical setup before Barcelona played two consecutive matches.

The Friuli Stadium's VIP boxes hosted an impressive gathering of football legends. Among the notable attendees was Gerard Deulofeu, the Barcelona academy product, who received a commemorative jersey from Yuste. Deulofeu, currently without a contract at Udinese, continues to receive treatment at the club's medical facilities for a serious knee injury, with uncertainty surrounding his return to competitive football.

Another highlight was the presence of Alexis Sánchez, an Udinese idol with numerous jerseys displayed in the stadium's legend museum. The Chilean watched the event from the VIP area. After spending last season with Sevilla, Sánchez remains a free agent but has not retired. Serie A legend Antonio Di Natale also attended the event. Di Natale, who spent 12 years at Udinese, now resides in Tuscany, where he serves as president of a youth academy.

The visit concluded with dinner following the two matches. The club arranged over 20 pizzas from Ancona Due, a renowned Udine restaurant, for the players and Flick's coaching staff.

Ancona Due has been Udinese's official restaurant for 15 years and features a display of autographed Serie A jerseys. Specialty pizzas including "Four Cheeses" and "Boscaiola" were served, concluding this whirlwind trip that seamlessly blended football and Italian cuisine.

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