Barcelona have ended their pre-season preparations on a winning note after defeating Egyptian giants Al Ahly 2–1 in the Joan Gamper Trophy at Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday, August 19.
The victory gave Barcelona the symbolic pre-season trophy ahead of the start of their La Liga campaign. The match also provided manager Hansi Flick with one final opportunity to assess his squad before competitive football begins.
Barcelona take control in first half
Barcelona started the match strongly and dominated much of the opening period. Their pressure eventually paid off in the 30th minute, when young Egyptian forward Hamza Abdelkarim opened the scoring.
The goal was particularly significant for Abdelkarim because he was facing his former club, Al Ahly. The 18-year-old has impressed during Barcelona’s pre-season preparations and continued his good form with another important goal.
Barcelona then doubled their advantage shortly before half-time. Raphinha converted a penalty to give the Catalan side a 2–0 lead at the break. The Brazilian also wore the captain’s armband during the match.
Al Ahly fight back
Al Ahly returned from the break with greater attacking intent and quickly reduced the deficit.
Ahmed Sayed Zizo scored in the 51st minute, giving the Egyptian champions hope of completing a comeback. The goal came after a quick attacking move that caught Barcelona’s defence out of position.
The goal changed the momentum of the match, with Al Ahly becoming more confident and Barcelona struggling to maintain the intensity they had shown in the first half.
Barcelona made several substitutions during the second half, while Al Ahly also gave several players an opportunity to feature during their final pre-season test.
Barcelona survive late pressure
Al Ahly continued pushing for an equaliser as the match approached its final stages. Barcelona, however, managed to hold on to their narrow advantage.
Barcelona were also given an opportunity to extend their lead late in the game when Anthony Gordon was awarded a penalty, but he failed to convert it. The missed chance meant Barcelona had to remain alert until the final whistle.
Despite Al Ahly’s second-half pressure, Barcelona secured the 2–1 victory and lifted the Joan Gamper Trophy.
Rodri receives huge welcome
The match was also notable for the presentation of Barcelona’s new signing Rodri. Although the midfielder was not yet available to play, he received a huge reception from the Camp Nou supporters during the team’s presentation.
Rodri’s arrival has generated significant excitement among Barcelona supporters as the club prepares for the new season.
The match also marked an important moment for Barcelona’s young players, particularly Abdelkarim, whose performances during pre-season have increased expectations surrounding his role in the first team.
Barcelona now turn their attention to La Liga
The victory over Al Ahly concludes Barcelona’s pre-season preparations. Their attention will now turn to competitive football and the opening La Liga fixture against Elche.
For Al Ahly, the match was their final preparation before returning to Egypt for the start of their domestic campaign. The Egyptian club are scheduled to face Enppi on August 23.
Barcelona’s 2–1 victory therefore provided the perfect final rehearsal before the new season, although Flick will know there are areas to improve after Al Ahly’s strong second-half response.
