Barcelona draws with Birmingham City in pre-season friendly, loses on penalties

Yahoo Sports1 min read • Latest: Aug 1, 2026, 6:15 AM

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

Barcelona draws with Birmingham City in pre-season friendly, loses on penalties
Summary

FC Barcelona played Birmingham City in a pre-season friendly on July 31, finishing regulation time in a 2-2 draw before losing in the penalty shootout. Head coach Hansi Flick noted positive performances from young players despite some struggles during the match. Striker Hamza Abdelkarim shone with two goals and received praise for his attitude and work ethic. Flick emphasized the team's current focus, stating they are not looking to acquire new players ahead of the transfer window deadline. Summer signing Karim Adeyemi made his unofficial debut, while Barcelona bid farewell to Marcus Rashford after his loan spell.

Source Links
By the Numbers
  • Barcelona faced Birmingham City in a friendly, ending 2-2.
  • Young striker Hamza Abdelkarim scored twice in the match.
  • Hansi Flick praised the young players' performance and work ethic.
  • Karim Adeyemi made his unofficial debut for Barcelona.
  • Barcelona lost to Birmingham in the penalty shootout.
Latest Updates
  • 6:15 AMYahoo SportsFlick talks Hamza, Adeyemi, Rashford, Gordon, Ferran, new striker pursuit: ‘Only focused on the players we have’
What they're saying
"

FC Barcelona faced Birmingham City in a pre-season friendly on Friday night at St. Andrew’s with the game ending in a 2-2 draw in regulation time, following which the Blaugrana lost via penalty shoo...

Related Teams & Leagues

Sources

External links

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Related Stories

Last 14 days