Barça shows off signings and 'new' in the premiere of Flick's 3.0 project at Camp Nou

BarcelonaThe heat that made t-shirts stick to chests and backs at Camp Nou in the middle of August did not prevent almost 55,000 people from approaching the stadium to cheer Rodri and enjoy the debut, at home, of Hansi Flick's enthusiastic 3.0 project. In a match without much history against Egyptian Al-Ahly (2-1), the Gamper began with the fans – among them many tourists, as is usual in the celebration of this match during the holiday season – bowing at the feet of the Madrid-born midfielder. The former City player did not play, but he was present at the presentation of the signings. On the other hand, Cancelo could not be there, who, although he did get dressed, Barça has not yet been able to finalize all the paperwork to make his incorporation official. While Rodri was acclaimed, Frenkie de Jong received some whistles. With the captaincy withdrawn from the Dutchman and handed over to Raphinha, it was the Brazilian who was in charge of giving a speech in which he remembered the injured players, called for unity, and welcomed the new signings. Hansi Flick, for his part, had also asked for unity and managed to be loved a little more by letting himself go with some phrases in Catalan.

With the presentation made and the heat continuing to question whether this sport can be practiced in mid-August, the ball began to roll. The German coach sent out some messages, such as giving Kounde the chance to be a central defender again, but making it clear that his starting right-back is Eric. On the other hand, Xavi Espart, who was once again one of the best Blaugranas, repeated as an interior in a delightful midfield completed by Bernal and Fermín. The Andalusian was as active as he was rushed from the attacking midfield. After missing the World Cup due to injury, he is very hungry to feel like a footballer again. Fermín was trying, but it would be the fashionable striker of Barça's preseason who would break the deadlock. Without Lewandowski or Ferran, Hamza Abdelkarim knocks on Hansi Flick's door.

The Blaugranas had been trying to take a bite out of their opponent for some time, and it was a matter of minutes before the opponent's resistance exercise failed. The goal, celebrated just before the half-hour mark, would be scored by Abdelkarim. The exciting center-forward prospect that Barça has in its reserve team smelled blood and, from the near post, tucked away a good cut-back pass from a Balde, improved compared to the rest of the preseason matches. That's why Hansi Flick is looking for a striker: one who can score the goals that Abdelkarim might one day score for Barça, but without burdening him with this responsibility at just 19 years old and not even half a season in Barcelona (he arrived on loan in February). For now, he has excited the culers with four goals this preseason: more than any other player.

Raphinha scores again from the penalty spot

Barça's frenzy would continue and the difference in talent between the two teams began to become evident. Fermín, who had been absent for a while, returned to the scene with a great play, this time from the left vertex of the area. Great feint and shot that Shobeir, the goalkeeper who saved a penalty from Leo Messi at the World Cup, deflected. The rebound fell to Xavi Espart, but his shot hit the leg of a rival defender. The second goal was imminent. Raphinha, who showed that he physically wants to leave the cursed injuries behind, stole the ball from a slow Hady Reyad, who ended up committing a penalty. The Brazilian himself would take charge of scoring the second from eleven meters before halftime.

The second half began with a string of substitutions and the team needed a few minutes to get organized. Kounde, one of those Flick left on the pitch, was soft in a challenge and the ball ended up at Zizo's feet, who connected a great shot. A low shot, close to the post. Joan Garcia could do little. Recovered from the scare – from Kounde's lapse, rather – the blaugranes returned to seek a goal with insistence. The first to try was Orian Goren, a talent of only 17 years. The next, a signing, Anthony Gordon. The Briton controlled a ball at the left vertex of the area, created space for himself and unleashed a shot at the near post that El Shenawy, who had come on after halftime, resolved without problems.

Precision was lacking and Al-Ahly, from time to time, approached the area with some isolated play, such as a penalty by an impulsive Brian Fariñas that the referee Carlos Muñiz Muñoz swallowed. With the game already quite broken, Barça relied on Adeyemi's runs down the right flank, who replaced Lamine. The German insisted on his first goal at the Camp Nou, but he will still have to wait. Like Gordon, who saw El Shenawy deny him a goal after a penalty he himself had caused. They will have more opportunities. They didn't find the goal, but they made a great effort to generate spaces and propose runs. Hansi Flick's 3.0 project begins.