Barcelona Stunned by Birmingham City: Three Key Lessons From Their Shocking Preseason Upset

FC Barcelona's first match since the end of the 2026 World Cup didn't quite go as planned.

The defending La Liga champions were held to an unexpected 2–2 draw away against Tom Brady-owned Birmingham City, who currently play in England's second division, before ultimately losing in a penalty shootout.

The home side opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark when August Priske headed powerfully into the net. Barcelona hit back through teenage sensation Hamza Abdelkarim, whose two goals—one on each side of halftime—flipped the match in their favor. The advantage proved brief, though, as John Solis leveled things up for Birmingham shortly after, with the Blues then holding firm to claim victory in the shootout.

Given this was merely a preseason friendly—and with Hansi Flick fielding a young, largely inexperienced squad—Barcelona fans have little cause for concern over the outcome.

Nevertheless, there were still plenty of noteworthy moments to take away from the match.

A Star Is Born?

Admittedly, it may be premature to declare that Barcelona have found their next big star—but Hamza Abdelkarim certainly made a strong case for himself against Birmingham.

The 18-year-old attacker, who only joined Barcelona's preseason setup in mid-July after cutting his summer break short following Egypt's run to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, was the most impressive player on the field.

For his opening goal, Abdelkarim displayed the clever movement of a veteran striker, making a sharp run across his defender to earn a penalty before coolly converting from the spot. His second showcased another dimension of his ability, reacting fastest to a fumbled save and instinctively tucking away the rebound before anyone else had even registered what was happening.

Flick was clearly impressed by the youngster.

"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 match. "And he was today. I think it gives him a lot of confidence for the next weeks."

With Robert Lewandowski having departed and Barcelona yet to bring in a direct replacement, the path is wide open. This season could represent a genuine breakthrough—and perhaps the start of something remarkable—for Abdelkarim.

A Difficult Debut

While Abdelkarim may have grabbed the spotlight, fellow Barcelona forward and new recruit Karim Adeyemi had a very different kind of afternoon.

It wasn't a disastrous first appearance by any means. His explosive speed and direct running created problems for Birmingham City throughout, but his final ball and finishing too frequently let him down—a recurring criticism that had shadowed him throughout his time at Borussia Dortmund.

Flick acknowledged afterwards that the German winger had considerably more to offer.

"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 soon to draw any firm conclusions, but one thing is already evident: if Adeyemi is to thrive in Catalonia, he will need to sharpen his end product significantly.

Same Old Barça

One hallmark has come to define Flick's Barcelona: a bold, high-risk, high-reward brand of soccer. The most recognizable element is the aggressive defensive line, with Barça constantly attempting to trap opponents offside—a tactic that famously backfired against Chelsea in the Champions League last season.

Against Birmingham City, there was no indication that Flick plans to alter his philosophy. Regardless of the opponent or the occasion, Barcelona remain fully committed to their identity.

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What did become clear, however, was that several of the club's younger players—particularly those in defensive positions—still have a great deal to learn if they are to fully grasp Flick's demanding system.

They struggled to handle Birmingham's intense press, were repeatedly slow to step up and maintain the high defensive line, and at times lacked the decisiveness and boldness that has made Flick's approach so effective.