Manchester United's pre-season friendly against Manchester City in Beijing has been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. The Chinese capital has experienced heavy rainfall in recent days, leaving the pitch at the Bird's Nest stadium unfit for play.
Organisers of the International Champions Cup, alongside both Premier League clubs, made the decision to call off the match. The fixture was highly anticipated as it would have marked the first meeting between managers Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola since their rivalry in Spain.
A statement from Manchester United confirmed: 'Due to recent weather events, tournament organisers and participating clubs have decided to cancel tonight's International Champions Cup game.' Mourinho expressed relief at avoiding injuries, saying: 'We want to keep calm, play safe, go home and keep the preparation going next week.'
Both clubs had expressed concerns about the pitch surface earlier, switching pre-match training to different venues to preserve it. United's next friendly is against Galatasaray in Gothenburg on July 30, while City face Borussia Dortmund in Shenzhen on July 28 before meeting Arsenal in Sweden.
