Neymar kicks the new season by uploading a picture to his Instagram alongside Arda Turan

FC Barcelona forward Neymar has been getting to know his new team-mate Arda Turan a little better ahead of the Catalan giants' friendly against Roma on Wednesday. 

 

The former Santos striker has only faced Turan as an opponent but the pair will be lining up alongside one another this season.

 

The Turkey international signed from Atletico Madrid this summer for £29million but will not be able to play competitively for his new club until January due to Barca's ban from registering players.

 

 

Turan is eligible to play in friendlies but the midfielder is currently suffering from a sprained ankle that he picked up in training.

 

Neymar, meawhile, is in line to make his first appearance of the new season against the Serie A side in the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Nou Camp.

 

Neymar reported back for Barcelona training earlier this week along with Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano and Dani Alves following the quartet's involvement in the Copa America in Chile this summer.

 

Coach Luis Enrique claims his players are looking forward to next few fixtures ahead of the return of La Liga but concedes the team need to improve their poor defensive showing in pre-season.

 

'The squad is really looking forward to the Gamper and then two Super Cups and a great start to the league,' Enrique told Barcelona's website. 

 

'We’ve had a good pre-season – though we need to improve at the back - and I am satisfied with the collective effort we’ve made. 

 

'The results haven’t been the best maybe, but I would give the squad a high mark overall. The best thing for me is that it is over and now we get down to the real business with the start of the season.' 

 

Luis Enrique's side have endured a difficult pre-season having lost their last three matches against Manchester United, Chelsea and Fiorentina.

 

The Barca coach will be hoping to end it on a high against the side he coached for just one season in 2011-12 ahead of the European Super Cup clash with La Liga rivals Sevilla on August 11.

 

Enrique left Roma after a disappointing campaign after leaving his role in charge of Barca's B team but insists he enjoyed his time in Italy.

 

'What happened at Roma made me a better Coach,' Enrique said at a press conference ahead of Wednesday's match.

 

'It was my fourth year as a Coach, after three with the youth team [at Barcelona], it was very intense and rewarding, a unique experience.

 

'I'll always be grateful for the opportunity they gave me, I arrived with different ideas about how to play football, and found players ready to accept that change and a crowd which was behind us.

 

'I have great memories, I'd have liked to have finished higher [than seventh], but it was a very positive year.'