Three Takeaways From Barcelona’s Surprise Preseason Defeat to Birmingham City

Barcelona were held to a 2–2 draw by Birmingham City before eventually losing the preseason friendly on penalties.

Karim Adeyemi made his Barcelona debut against Birmingham. | Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images

FC Barcelona’s first outing since the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup did not exactly go according to plan.

The reigning La Liga champions were held to a surprising 2–2 draw away to Tom Brady-owned Birmingham City, who currently compete in England’s second tier, before eventually falling in a penalty shootout.

The hosts struck first just past the half-hour mark when August Priske powered home a header. Barcelona responded through teenager Hamza Abdelkarim, whose brace—one goal either side of halftime—turned the game on its head. The lead was short-lived, however, as John Solis restored parity for Birmingham just minutes later, before the Blues held their nerve to win the ensuing shootout.

Given it was only a preseason friendly—and with Hansi Flick selecting a youthful, largely inexperienced lineup—there is little reason for Barcelona supporters to panic over the result.

Even so, there were still plenty of talking points to emerge from the contest,

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A Star Is Born?

Hamza Abdelkarim scored twice. | Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Admittedly, it may be far too early to suggest Barcelona have unearthed their next superstar—but Hamza Abdelkarim certainly did his chances no harm against Birmingham.

The 18-year-old forward, who only joined Barcelona’s preseason camp in mid-July after cutting short his offseason break following Egypt’s run to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, was the standout performer on the pitch.

For his first goal, Abdelkarim showed the intelligent movement of a seasoned striker, darting across his marker to win a penalty before calmly dispatching the spot kick. His second highlighted a different side of his game, reacting quickest to a spilled save and instinctively turning the rebound home before anyone else had even processed what had happened.

Flick was certainly impressed.

“As a striker, you have to be there. If there is a situation in the box, you have to be there,” he told reporters after the game. “And he was today. I think it gives him a lot of confidence for the next weeks.”

With Robert Lewandowski no longer at the club and Barcelona yet to sign a direct replacement, the door is wide open. This season could prove to be one of genuine opportunity—and perhaps the beginning of something special—for Abdelkarim.

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A Difficult Debut

Adeyemi didn’t have the best day. | Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images

While Abdelkarim may have stolen the headlines, another Barcelona forward—new signing Karim Adeyemi—experienced a very different afternoon.

It certainly wasn’t a disastrous debut. His blistering pace and direct running caused Birmingham City problems throughout, but too often his final decision or finishing touch let him down—a criticism that had followed him throughout his career before making the move from Borussia Dortmund.

Flick admitted afterwards that the German winger was capable of much more.

“I think he has much greater potential than what he’s shown, and he can showcase his strengths better, but he’s still in his first week of training, and that’s natural,” he said.

It’s far too early to make any sweeping judgments, but one thing is already clear: if Adeyemi is to become a success in Catalonia, he will need to improve his end product.

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Same Old Barça

Flick isn’t changing his style. | Nigel French/PA Images/Getty Images

One thing has become synonymous with Flick’s Barcelona: a fearless, high-risk, high-reward style of soccer. The most obvious feature is the aggressive defensive line, with Barça constantly looking to catch opponents offside—a tactic that memorably backfired against Chelsea in the Champions League last season.

Against Birmingham City, there were no signs that Flick intends to change his philosophy. Regardless of the opposition or the occasion, Barcelona remain committed to playing the same way.

What did become apparent, however, was that several of the club’s younger players—particularly in defense—still have plenty to learn if they are to master Flick’s demanding system.

They struggled to cope with Birmingham’s aggressive press, were repeatedly slow to push up and organize the high line and at times lacked the decisiveness and fearlessness that has made Flick’s approach such a success.

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