Hamza Abdelkarim struck for the fourth time in pre-season with a aim in opposition to former membership Al-Ahly as Barcelona received the Joan Gamper Trophy after Rodri was launched to the house followers at Camp Nou.
World Cup 2026 winner Rodri, who joined Barca for £65 million from Manchester Metropolis on Tuesday, took half in his new membership’s conventional presentation of every participant of their squad to their supporters earlier than the beginning of a season, though the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner was not concerned for the hosts, who went forward when 18-year-old Abdelkarim fired in following a slick one-two between Raphinha and Alejandro Balde.
Welcome our new signings ✍️ pic.twitter.com/zZ17jzh7XE
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 19, 2026
Captain Raphinha added Barca’s second shortly earlier than half-time after being introduced down by Hady Reyad, with the Egyptian Premier League aspect producing a trendy reply quickly after the restart when Zizo surged clear as a part of a counter-attack and curled a gloriously exact end previous goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Anthony Gordon had an added-time penalty saved by fellow substitute and veteran Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, awarded when the England ahead was fouled by right-back Ahmed Eid.
Reigning Spanish champions Barca’s aggressive season begins away to Elche in La Liga on August 23 (20:30 BST).
Al-Ahly begin their Egyptian Premier League marketing campaign at house to Jap Enppi on the identical day (18:00).
Barcelona vs Al Ahly: Abdelkarim shines in Joan Gamper win
Initially a mortgage signing for Barcelona B in February, Egypt newcomer Abdelkarim joined Barca completely for round £1.3m in June and has made that value look astonishingly good worth throughout a pre-season to counsel his new membership have one other sensation on their books.
Having scored 95 league objectives final season – 18 greater than their nearest rivals in that respect, title runners-up Actual Madrid – Barca’s attacking choices look ominous once more for his or her home opponents and, Hansi Flick hopes, the golf equipment they face within the Champions League because the German goals to turn out to be a European champion in his third season in cost.
Barca’s success in Europe might depend upon how successfully Rodri’s distinctive talents in midfield permit them to press excessive much more successfully.
The 2022/23 Champions League winner with Metropolis acquired the loudest reception when he was launched final of all of the gamers, growing the anticipation for the emergence from the tunnel of the 30-year-old, who had seemed relaxed – albeit yawning incessantly – when he strolled the pitch along with his new teammates.
Amongst Barcelona’s different new signings, Gordon was one in every of six gamers introduced on at half-time, with Lamine Yamal, who had a quiet recreation by the 19-year-old’s scintillating requirements, amongst these making manner.
Gordon, who value Barca £69m in a considerably shocking transfer from Newcastle in Might, had a medical first-time end dominated out for offside and was later left to rue his misfortune when El Shenawy dived to his proper to show the spot kick away.
Barcelona group vs Al Ahly
Barcelona beginning XI: Joan Garcia, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Gerard Martin, Alejandro Balde, Xavi Espart, Marc Bernal, Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha, Hamza Abdelkarim
Al Ahly group vs Barcelona
Al Ahly beginning XI: Mostafa Shobeir, Mohamed Hany, Hady Reyad, Amr El Gazar, Karim Fouad, Marwan Attia, Ahmed Nabil Koka, Zizo, Taher Mohamed, Achraf Bencharki, Soufiane Benjdida
Barcelona vs Al Ahly Joan Gamper Trophy stats
- These groups met in pre-season match the Wembley Cup at London’s Wembley Stadium on July 26 2009, when Barcelona received 4-1 via objectives from Brojan, Jose Rueda, Jeffren and Pedro
- Hany El Agazy replied with Al-Ahly’s solely aim of the occasions, his aspect ending and not using a level from their two matches, behind Tottenham and Barca (4 every) and winners Celtic (6)
- Barcelona had received 12 consecutive editions of the Joan Gamper Trophy match earlier than their 3-0 defeat to Monaco in 2024
- They recovered to beat Como 5-0 in 2025, with Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal scoring twice one another aspect of a Raphinha aim
- With one win every, Monaco, Juventus, Sampdoria and Manchester Metropolis are the one groups to have stopped Barca from lifting the cup for the reason that contest switched from 4 groups to 2 in 1997
- Lionel Messi’s 9 objectives within the showpiece put Barcelona’s all-time high scorer two forward of some other participant within the historical past of the match
- Now at Inter Miami, Messi is the one participant in Joan Gamper Trophy historical past to have netted in six consecutive editions (2013-2018)
- No Egyptian Premier League group scored extra objectives final season than Al-Ahly, whose tally of 34 put them one forward of Pyramids
- Regardless of that, Al-Ahly completed instantly behind Pyramids in the course of the common season (by three factors) and play-offs (by one level)
- Al-Ahly completed three factors behind first-placed Zamalek total, though their aim distinction was three higher than the champions in the course of the play-offs and two superior to Pyramids
- Nationwide Financial institution of Egypt’s Ahmed Yasser Rayyan (11) was the one participant to outscore Al-Ahly’s Mahmoud Trezeguet (9) within the 2025/26 Egyptian Premier League
