A statement from a United spokesperson said: “Due to recent weather events, tournament organisers and participating clubs have made the decision to cancel tonight’s International Champions Cup fixture to be played in Beijing tonight, 25 July”.
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Concerns were raised about the state of the pitch following a deluge of rain in the Chinese capital.
United put up a Tweet confirming that the preseason game was cancelled.
Manchester United and City fans in China could not hide their anguish after learning the Premier League titans’ International Champions Cup clash had been abandoned.
“We know how much you love us all and we love playing in front of you”. “Not a friendly. Maybe, with these conditions, it’s a double friendly”.
Captain Vincent Kompany is in Beijing with the squad after recovering from an injury-blighted campaign in 2015/16, but did not train with the rest of the players as he is undergoing his own intensive programme to regain full fitness.
His opposite number, Pep Guardiola, was also anxious about the state of the pitch and the effect it would have on his players.
“We tried to fly to Beijing but the weather is a little bit bad so we had to land somewhere else”.
“The pitch is very bad and the condition of my players is more important than results”, he said. It’s not a problem for me to lose matches in pre-season.
Playing conditions were poor for United’s match against Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai on Friday, but the pitch was so bad at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing that no football could be played on it.
“But in a match it’s more hard so, again, I hope our players and City’s players go home without any kind of injury to start the competitive period well”. We have a good group, we have a good spirit and we cope with it.
“We worked together in Barcelona for three years, we were opponents at other clubs but we are professionals and have a normal relationship, why shouldn’t we shake hands?” he added.
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“The ones in the first plane were lucky because we landed safely and were in the hotel to have dinner”.
