Barcelona youngsters impress Flick in four-goal pre-season opener behind closed doors

Barcelona began their pre-season campaign with a convincing 4-1 friendly win over CE Europa at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, in a behind-closed-doors match that offered Hansi Flick a first look at several emerging prospects.

The game, played at the club’s training complex, was Barcelona’s first outing since they returned to work on 13 July and featured a line-up heavily drawn from the academy and reserve ranks rather than a side resembling Flick’s likely competitive XI.

While the scoreline favoured the hosts, the emphasis from the coaching staff was on building fitness, giving minutes to youngsters and assessing their physical condition at the start of pre-season, rather than on the result itself.

La Masia talent Hamza Abdelkarim catches the eye

One of the standout performers was La Masia player Hamza Abdelkarim, who produced a notable display and scored a well-taken goal that extended Barcelona’s lead in the first half, underlining his credentials among the club’s latest generation of talents.

Barcelona controlled the tempo from the outset and made their dominance count on the half-hour mark, when Brian Farinas opened the scoring in the 30th minute. Just two minutes later, Abdelkarim struck to make it 2-0, giving the Catalan side a clear advantage.

CE Europa responded before the interval, pulling a goal back in the 42nd minute to reduce the deficit and send the sides into half-time with Barcelona leading 2-1.

Second-half control and further goals

After the break, Barcelona increased their attacking threat and turned their superiority into a more emphatic scoreline, adding two further goals in the second half to close out the match at 4-1.

In midfield, Gil Fernandez delivered an impressive performance, drawing attention for his composure and influence in the centre of the pitch. Ebrima Tonkara also stood out, producing a strong display that further highlighted the depth of promising talent Flick had at his disposal for this fixture.

The run-out allowed the coaching team to test different combinations and give several players valuable minutes in a low-key environment, with the game held without fans in attendance.

Ter Stegen plays amid loan talks

Marc-Andre ter Stegen featured throughout the second half despite being close to sealing a loan move to Ajax, and his involvement offered additional match rhythm at a time when his future is expected to be resolved shortly.

In contrast, Adeyemi was left out of the matchday squad and took no part in the contest.

For Flick, recently installed as head coach, the encounter represented a positive early step as he shapes his squad ahead of the new season. With many of Barcelona’s established international stars still absent, he leaned heavily on youth players and members of the reserve and junior teams to fill the side.

The encouraging contribution of several La Masia graduates, coupled with the comfortable margin of victory, provided the German coach with a promising platform as Barcelona continue their preparations for the upcoming campaign.