If it had to be described just as a football match, it is obvious that the Gamper is no longer what it used to be. The summer trophy, like so many others, has been swallowed up by an overloaded calendar that barely leaves crumbs from the start. Once an exciting prelude that fans, foreigners but above all locals, took advantage of to see the new signings live against top-class rivals, today it is an excuse to cash in with tourists as the main prey. The Gamper, however, maintains that something of a season opener where hopes are still intact, this year more than ever after Hansi Flick’s two consecutive leagues and the recent and stunning signing of Rodri.
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Barça, in the midst of sweltering heat and as could be expected, won its tournament against Al-Ahly, a reference Egyptian team in the African continent (12 Champions in their record) that put up a fight but fell justly, almost always dominated by their opponent.
Hamza Abdelkarim scored the first goal playing as a striker, but the debate about the position will continue
The lineup, summery and therefore still not very indicative, left a surprise more tactical than anything else: Koundé played as a center-back and not as a full-back, a detail to keep in mind. Eric García was the right-back, so the Frenchman could recover this season the position for which he was signed four seasons ago. He will fight for the spot with Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, and Christensen, as well as with the aforementioned Eric.
The match started with a predictable local dominance that materialized thanks to a deep pass from Raphinha to Balde, who in turn detected Hamza Abdelkarim’s movement as a pure striker to the near post. The first saw it and the second finished it, who did not celebrate the goal because Al-Ahly was his former team. The second goal came just before halftime with the match turned into a Barça monologue. It was thanks to a penalty caused and converted by Raphinha, the applauded new captain of the squad until further notice.
After the break, the carousel of substitutions began. Olmo and Gordon, who debuted at Spotify Camp Nou, as well as the youngsters Fariñas, Goren, and Pesquer, came on, while Balde, Espart, Fermín, Gerard Martín, Bernal, and Raphinha went off. The agitation did not suit Barça, who continued attacking especially thanks to Lamine Yamal, substituted at the hour mark, but allowed their rival to reduce the gap with a very quick counterattack executed by Zizo, a World Cup player for Egypt.
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Al-Ahly, in Catalan lands for a few days (they were defeated five days ago by Europa, from the Primera Federación, 2-1, after coming from beating Badalona, from the Segunda, 3-0 in friendly matches) rebelled momentarily against their sparring status. Even a draw could have come from a probable uncalled penalty committed by Fariñas.
In that new situation, Adeyemi, very active and sharp, as well as Gordon, both driven from the wings by a very delicate-footed Dani Olmo, extension of his extraordinary World Cup, tried to oppose. Pedri, platinum blonde, who enjoyed a few minutes to gain rhythm ahead of the league debut on Sunday in Elche, when the real football will start, joined the effort. The third goal seemed to come thanks to another penalty, this time committed on Gordon, who was escaping towards goal. The Englishman, who already took penalties at Newcastle, asked for the ball but goalkeeper El Shenawy guessed the direction.
The Gamper ended with players dripping sweat. Also the spectators, who, ten days before the market closes and already with Rodri in the bag, wonder if Barça will sign the expected striker.
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