Barça Win Joan Gamper Trophy 2-1 as Anthony Gordon Misses Debut Penalty

Barcelona secured a 2-1 victory over Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy behind goals from Hamza Abdelkarim and Raphinha.

Barcelona concluded their preseason schedule on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory over Al Ahly to secure the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Spotify Camp Nou. Eighteen-year-old striker Hamza Abdelkarim opened the scoring in the first half against his former club, marking his fourth goal of the preseason following a brace against Birmingham City and a strike against Basel. Raphinha doubled the lead from the penalty spot before halftime after winning the foul against Hady Reyad. The visitors responded in the second half through Zizo, who capitalized on defensive lapses to narrow the deficit.

Anthony Gordon, making his debut at the Spotify Camp Nou, saw a late penalty saved by Mohamed El Shenawy after winning the spot-kick himself. The England international also had a goal disallowed for offside and another attempt stopped by the Al Ahly goalkeeper. Substitute Orian Goren missed a chance to extend the lead, firing wide as the Spanish champions pushed to restore their two-goal cushion. This result serves as the final tune-up before Barça begins their LaLiga title defense with a trip to Elche this coming Sunday.

Squad Presentation and New Signings

Prior to kickoff, a bumper crowd attended the official presentation of the squad for the new campaign. Hansi Flick has integrated four new signings into the roster: Rodri, Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, and Jesse Bisiwu. Rodri, who arrived from Manchester City earlier in the week, received the loudest ovation from the supporters despite being unavailable to play in the match.

There was a notable complication regarding João Cancelo. The Portuguese international was present in the tunnel kitted up for the ceremony, but he could not be presented on the pitch. Although he is set to join as a free agent following the termination of his contract with Al Hilal, the deal has not been officially completed. Manager Hansi Flick and Raphinha both addressed the crowd with short speeches, stating their intention to compete for every trophy, specifically targeting the Champions League title which the club has not won since 2015.

Abdelkarim Emerges as Striker Option

Hamza Abdelkarim’s opening goal followed significant build-up play from Raphinha and Alejandro Balde. As the only recognized No. 9 currently in the squad, the teenager is providing Flick with a selection dilemma as the club continues to search for further reinforcements in the striker position. Flick praised the young forward's performance, specifically noting his ability to attack crosses and his improved hold-up play during the match.

Match Statistics and Final Preparations

Al Ahly showed resilience after falling behind 2-0, creating several opportunities just before the interval before Zizo eventually scored early in the second period. Despite the pressure from the Egyptian side, Barcelona maintained their lead to hoist the Joan Gamper Trophy. The club remains open to further transfer market activity before the window closes, despite already securing high-profile additions like Rodri and Gordon. The focus now shifts entirely to domestic competition as the team prepares for their league opener against Elche.