Catalonia to Field La Liga-Only Squad for Friendly Against Costa Rica

Catalonia head coach Gerard López announced that he will field a squad made entirely of top-flight players for the upcoming friendly against Costa Rica on May 28, according to EFE. The match will take place at the Johan Cruyff Stadium and is part of the celebrations marking the 125th anniversary of the Catalan Football Federation.

Barring any last-minute injuries, López expects to name “a very competitive list,” composed of 80 to 90% of the players available. The only absentees will be those called up by Spain for the UEFA Nations League Finals and Betis players involved in the UEFA Conference League Final against Chelsea on the same day.

The match will also serve a charitable purpose, with tickets priced at 5 euros and proceeds going to the Fundació Fútbol Català to support social programs through sport. “If we’re allowed to get together just once a year, we need to make it count,” said López, urging fans to pack the 6,000-seat stadium.