James Beadle saved twice in a shootout as Birmingham City beat Barcelona following a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes in a pre-season friendly at St Andrew’s.
Egypt newcomer Hamza Abdelkarim scored twice for Barca in their first warm-up match for the 2026/27 season at the second-tier club, the 18-year-old initially equalising by converting a 41st-minute penalty after being fouled by Christoph Klarer.
Birmingham had taken the lead in the 31st minute when August Priske headed in Alex Cochrane’s cross . but Abdelkarim turned the scoreline around 15 minutes after half-time, sweeping in from close range when Beadle spilled Roony Bardghji’s long-range effort.
Barcelona’s second goal was a deserved one on the balance of play and Birmingham, who are co-owned by NFL icon Tom Brady, responded admirably to regain control and equalise through new £6 million signing Jhon Solis’ finish from Klarer’s header.
Cochrane went closest to a winner by arrowing a drive against the top of the crossbar before Jack Robinson cleared Alex Gonzalez’s shot off the line during the closing stages.
Beadle made a superb double save during added time, springing to either side of his line to repel strikes by the impressive Roony Bardghji and Gonzalez.
Birmingham City vs Barcelona: Beadle decides shootout
Former Birmingham prodigy Jude Bellingham, who now plays for Real Madrid, watched the action in person as Beadle, who has again joined the Blues on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion for the campaign, atoned for his error for Barca’s second goal.
New Birmingham signing Luis Vazquez was the first player not to score in the shootout when Aron Yaakobishvili saved from the striker.
Beadle immediately denied Bardghji and Jordi Pesquer hit the crossbar with Barca’s next effort before Yaakobishvili saved from Robinson.
England youth international Beadle, who signed a new four-year deal with Brighton in July, saved from Brian Farinas to give Birmingham the win.
Scott Wright, Ethan Laird and Patrick Roberts succeeded from the spot for City, as did Alvaro Cortes and Guille Fernandez for the visitors.
Birmingham City vs Barcelona: What’s next for Barca?
Barca, who began their pre-season schedule without their World Cup stars at a sold-out stadium, face a club in Birmingham’s division when they meet Preston North End behind closed doors on Monday,
Spain players and newly-crowned world champions Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Dani Olmo and Pedri are among the stars absent from their trip.
Birmingham travel to fellow Championship club Swansea City in the EFL Cup first round on August 8 (15:00 BST).
Birmingham team vs Barcelona
Midfielder Solis, who joined Birmingham permanently from Girona in June, started.
Centre-back Dael Fry arrived from Middlesbrough a month earlier and was on the bench.
Argentinian Vazquez signed from Anderlecht this week, as did Denmark-born former USA international full-back Kristoffer Lund from Palermo.
Birmingham starting XI: James Beadle, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Phil Neumann, Christoph Klarer, Alex Cochrane, Tomoki Iwata, Jhon Solis, Carlos Vicente, Kanya Fujimoto, Jay Stansfield, August Priske
Substitutes: Ryan Allsop, Ethan Laird, Lee Buchanan, Jack Robinson, Scott Wright, Patrick Roberts, Dael Fry, Menzi Mazwi, William Burrell, Bradley Mayo, Cobi Maddox, Luis Vazquez, Briar Bateman
Barcelona team vs Birmingham City
Karim Adeyemi – an £18.8m signing from Borussia Dortmund last week – started for Barcelona.
Alejandro Balde was on the bench as the left-back continued his injury comeback and winger Raphinha has taken part in individual sessions this week following an injury-hit 2025/26 and World Cup with Brazil.
Frenkie de Jong was not involved but has travelled with Barcelona and worked in the gym as the midfielder continues his recovery from a serious knee injury.
Barcelona starting XI: Wojciech Szczesny, Xavi Espart, Andreas Christensen, Gerard Martin, Jofre Torrents, Marc Casado, Ebrima Tunkara, Marc Bernal, Karim Adeyemi, Hamza Abdelkarim, Shane Kluivert
Barcelona substitutes: Hector Fort, Alejandro Balde, Ronald Araujo, Alvaro Cortes, Guille Fernandez, Brian Farinas, Tommy Marques, Raphinha, Roony Bardghji, Toni Fernandez, Fermin Lopez, Jordi Pesquer, Iker Rodriguez, Ibrahim Diarra, Oscar Gistau, Orian Goren, Aron Yaakobishvili, Alex Gonzalez
Birmingham City vs Barcelona stats
- While Barcelona won La Liga last season, Birmingham finished 10th in the Championship and were nine points off the last place for a play-off campaign to reach the Premier League
- Barcelona are in camp at St George’s Park, where they were previously based in 2014 – before winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League – and in 2016
- Their previous visit to an English club was a 1-1 draw against Newcastle at St James’ Park in the Champions League last 16 last season, winning the return match 7-2
- The Spanish side’s record against English clubs in competitive fixtures is W38 D23 L21
- Since a 1-0 win at Manchester United in the Champions League in 2019, Barcelona have won win in five competitive matches in England
- That victory came at Newcastle in September 2025, when England international Marcus Rashford scored twice and current Barcelona winger Anthony Gordon replied for the Magpies
- Birmingham are winless in their last five meetings with Barcelona, with all five previous matches between the sides taking place in the now-defunct Fairs Cup between 1957 and 1960
- Their win was at home in the first of those matches, prevailing 4-3 in October 1957 before losing the return match 1-0 at the Camp Nou the following month
- The tie therefore went to a one-legged replay in Basel, which Barcelona won 2-1
- Only promoted Coventry City and Ipswich Town bettered Birmingham’s total of 44 points at home in last season’s Championship
- Those teams were the only sides to lose fewer home games than the three defeats Davies’ team suffered at St Andrew’s in the division
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