Friendlies
Birmingham City Defeats FC Barcelona on Penalties
FC Barcelona showed plenty of positive signs but ultimately fell to Birmingham City in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw in regulation time in its second preseason match ahead of the new campaign.
Hansi Flick opted for a youthful lineup featuring Karim Adeyemi, Shane Kluivert, and Hamza Abdelkarim in attack, while the English side took advantage of playing at home to push the reigning LaLiga champions throughout the evening.
Adeyemi and Barcelona's Youngsters Set the Tone
From the opening whistle, Karim Adeyemi was one of the most active players on the pitch, constantly attacking the spaces left by the Birmingham City defense.
Barcelona looked to play with a high tempo, combining quick passing with aggressive pressing, although the team struggled at times with its final ball. Even so, Hansi Flick's tactical approach was clear: vertical football, intensity, and opportunities for the club's young talents.
Both Shane Kluivert and Hamza Abdelkarim looked eager to impress, knowing every preseason performance could improve their chances of earning regular first-team minutes.
As the first half progressed, the pace slowed slightly. Barcelona dominated possession, but the home side remained disciplined defensively and patiently waited for opportunities to counter.
That opportunity came in the 30th minute.
August Priske found space inside the penalty area and fired an excellent finish beyond Wojciech Szczęsny to give Birmingham City the lead.
The Catalans responded before halftime. In the 40th minute, Hamza Abdelkarim was brought down inside the box following a late challenge from Christoph Klarer. The Egyptian forward stepped up and confidently converted the penalty to level the score before the break.
Abdelkarim Completed His Brace
The second half began with Barcelona once again controlling possession.
In the 59th minute, Shane Kluivert unleashed a long-range effort that was spilled by goalkeeper James Beadle, allowing Hamza Abdelkarim to react first and tap home the rebound for his second goal of the night.
Shortly afterward, Hansi Flick made eight substitutions, and the Spanish side needed several minutes to reorganize.
Birmingham City took full advantage.
In the 67th minute, a well-worked set-piece ended with Christoph Klarer heading the ball across goal for Colombian midfielder Jhon Solís, who finished from close range past substitute goalkeeper Áron Yaakobishvili.
The equalizer gave the home side fresh momentum as Birmingham City began creating danger through set pieces and quick attacks down the flanks.
Penalty Shootout Decides the Winner
The closing stages were full of excitement.
In the 73rd minute, Alexander Cochrane nearly scored one of the goals of preseason, controlling the ball brilliantly with his chest before smashing a powerful shot against the crossbar.
During the final minutes, Barcelona regained control of possession and created several dangerous chances. Deep into stoppage time, James Beadle produced a spectacular double save to preserve the draw and send the match to a previously scheduled penalty shootout.
From the spot, Scott Wright, Ethan Laird, and Patrick Roberts converted for Birmingham City, while Áron Yaakobishvili saved Luis Vázquez's penalty and Jack Robinson missed his attempt.
For FC Barcelona, Álvaro Cortés and Guille Fernández scored, but Alex González, Jordi Pasquer, and Brian Fariñas were unable to convert.
With that, Birmingham City claimed victory in the penalty shootout after an impressive performance against the reigning LaLiga champions, while FC Barcelona continued its preseason preparations with several encouraging individual performances that will give Hansi Flick plenty of reasons for optimism.
