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Barcelona friendly against Al-Ahli Saudi FC in Doha postponed

Barcelona have announced that next week's friendly against Al-Ahli Saudi FC has been postponed.

The game was due to take place in Doha on May 24 but Barca said Qatar Airways made the decision to reschedule.

A club statement read: "Qatar Airways, the host and sponsor of the friendly match between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahli Saudi FC, which was scheduled to be played on May 24 in Doha, has opted to postpone the game.

"That same week, the region is also hosting the prestigious Emir Cup Final, as well as games being played in the AFC League. The coincidence of the match with these major sporting events means that the game will now be postponed to a later date (to be announced shortly) in order to encourage the best possible attendance."

Sport, however, reported that the decision to reschedule was mutual, with a dressing-room source telling the Catalan newspaper that several players were reluctant to take part given their other commitments.

El Mundo Deportivo, meanwhile, said the unavailability of several players due to the Copa America -- including Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez -- had diminished the appeal of the friendly.

Barca, who play Sevilla in the Copa del Rey final on May 22, are contractually obliged to play one friendly a year under the terms of the club's sponsorship deal with Qatar Sports Investments.

Since the deal was made, Barcelona have played just one match in Paris and have participated in a clinic in Palestine, according to Sport.

Barca are currently exploring options for a new sponsor. A source told ESPN that the club are close to an unprecedented and record deal with Nike worth a billion euros that would extend through 2018 with options for 10 more years.