Barcelona opened their 2026-27 pre-season with a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City at St Andrew’s on Friday, with 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim scoring twice to open his Barça account.
Abdelkarim the Standout in a Mixed First Half
Hansi Flick fielded a starting XI built around La Masia youngsters and a handful of first-team reserves, facing a Birmingham side – Chris Davies’s Championship outfit – that were further along in their preparations and pressed Barça high up the pitch. Barça moved the ball reasonably well under that pressure but struggled to create clear chances, with right-back Xavi Espart and midfielder Ebrima Tunkara the brightest performers in the opening period.
Birmingham took the lead against the run of play when August Priske headed home around the half-hour mark. Abdelkarim then won a penalty inside the box and converted it himself to level at 1-1 before the break. New signing Karim Adeyemi, making his Barcelona debut, saw plenty of the ball but was wasteful – understandable this early in pre-season.
Bardghji Sparks Second-Half Move Before Late Equaliser
Flick made four changes at half-time, among them Roony Bardghji, and the Swedish winger made an immediate impact. His shot from outside the box was saved but Abdelkarim reacted quickest to turn in the rebound – a classic poacher’s finish that gave Barcelona the lead. Flick then rang in seven more changes to field an almost entirely new XI, and Birmingham capitalised on the inexperience: Jhon Solís levelled from a set piece with twenty minutes remaining.
The young Blaugrana finished the game well, with Brian Fariñas, Jordi Pesquer and Álex González all catching the eye, and Bardghji continuing to threaten on the wing. Several late chances came and went, the Birmingham goalkeeper making a string of saves to preserve the draw. A post-match penalty shootout – ceremonial rather than competitive – went Birmingham’s way, with keeper Áron Yaakobishvili unable to prevent three Barça misses despite saving twice.
The tie revived a fixture with genuine history: according to the BBC, the clubs have met five times previously, all in the old Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, including the 1960 final which Barcelona won 4-1 on aggregate. That context made for a fitting backdrop to what was, on balance, an encouraging first public run-out for Flick’s squad, even if the midfield picture remains unsettled heading into the rest of pre-season.
What Comes Next
Barcelona’s pre-season continues in England following this entertaining friendly in the second city. Birmingham, meanwhile, face the new Championship season, which begins on the weekend of 14-16 August.
