Hamza Abdelkarim struck for the fourth time in pre-season with a goal against former club Al-Ahly as Barcelona won the Joan Gamper Trophy after Rodri was introduced to the home fans at Camp Nou.
World Cup 2026 winner Rodri, who joined Barca for £65 million from Manchester City on Tuesday, took part in his new club’s traditional presentation of each player in their squad to their supporters before the start of a season, although the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner was not involved for the hosts, who went ahead 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 before half-time after being brought down by Hady Reyad, with the Egyptian Premier League side producing a stylish reply soon after the restart when Zizo surged clear as part of a counter-attack and curled a gloriously precise finish past 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 forward was fouled by right-back Ahmed Eid.
Reigning Spanish champions Barca’s competitive season begins away to Elche in La Liga on August 23 (20:30 BST).
Al-Ahly start their Egyptian Premier League campaign at home to Eastern Enppi on the same day (18:00).
Barcelona vs Al Ahly: Abdelkarim shines in Joan Gamper win
Initially a loan signing for Barcelona B in February, Egypt newcomer Abdelkarim joined Barca permanently for around £1.3m in June and has made that price look astonishingly good value during a pre-season to suggest his new club have another sensation on their books.
Having scored 95 league goals last season – 18 more than their nearest rivals in that respect, title runners-up Real Madrid – Barca’s attacking options look ominous again for their domestic opponents and, Hansi Flick hopes, the clubs they face in the Champions League as the German aims to become a European champion in his third season in charge.
Barca’s success in Europe could depend on how effectively Rodri’s exceptional abilities in midfield allow them to press high even more effectively.
The 2022/23 Champions League winner with City received the loudest reception when he was introduced last of all the players, increasing the anticipation for the emergence from the tunnel of the 30-year-old, who had looked relaxed – albeit yawning frequently – when he strolled the pitch with his new teammates.
Among Barcelona’s other new signings, Gordon was one of six players brought on at half-time, with Lamine Yamal, who had a quiet game by the 19-year-old’s scintillating standards, among those making way.
Gordon, who cost Barca £69m in a somewhat surprising move from Newcastle in May, had a clinical first-time finish ruled out for offside and was later left to rue his misfortune when El Shenawy dived to his right to turn the spot kick away.
Barcelona team vs Al Ahly
Barcelona starting XI: Joan Garcia, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Gerard Martin, Alejandro Balde, Xavi Espart, Marc Bernal, Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha, Hamza Abdelkarim
Al Ahly team vs Barcelona
Al Ahly starting 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 teams met in pre-season tournament the Wembley Cup at London’s Wembley Stadium on July 26 2009, when Barcelona won 4-1 through goals from Brojan, Jose Rueda, Jeffren and Pedro
- Hany El Agazy replied with Al-Ahly’s only goal of the events, his side finishing without a point from their two matches, behind Tottenham and Barca (4 each) and winners Celtic (6)
- Barcelona had won 12 consecutive editions of the Joan Gamper Trophy match before 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 each other side of a Raphinha goal
- With one win each, Monaco, Juventus, Sampdoria and Manchester City are the only teams to have stopped Barca from lifting the cup since the contest switched from four teams to two in 1997
- Lionel Messi’s nine goals in the showpiece put Barcelona’s all-time top scorer two ahead of any other player in the history of the match
- Now at Inter Miami, Messi is the only player in Joan Gamper Trophy history to have netted in six consecutive editions (2013-2018)
- No Egyptian Premier League team scored more goals last season than Al-Ahly, whose tally of 34 put them one ahead of Pyramids
- Despite that, Al-Ahly finished immediately behind Pyramids during the regular season (by three points) and play-offs (by one point)
- Al-Ahly finished three points behind first-placed Zamalek overall, although their goal difference was three better than the champions during the play-offs and two superior to Pyramids
- National Bank of Egypt’s Ahmed Yasser Rayyan (11) was the only player to outscore Al-Ahly’s Mahmoud Trezeguet (9) in the 2025/26 Egyptian Premier League
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