Barcelona finished as the runners-up in the inaugural Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup on Saturday, beating Nottingham Forest 1–0 before they fell 1–0 to Udinese.
The triangular preseason tournament featured three 45-minute matches back-to-back, where final standings determined the winner. The Catalans surged to the top of the table after getting the better of Forest thanks to a last-minute penalty Raphinha buried.
Udinese also defeated the English outfit, which made their match with Barcelona the decider. It looked like the game was destined to end in a goalless draw, but the hosts exploited Hansi Flick’s high line in the dying stages to snag the victory through Vakoun Issouf Bayo.
It was ultimately a day to forget for the defending Spanish champions, whose only goal in 90 minutes came from the spot. Flick still walked away with plenty of takeaways, though, even if they were mostly negative.
Flick Welcomes Back Key Figures
Both Raphinha and Fermín López returned for Barcelona on Saturday, getting the nod against Nottingham Forest. The two players looked well-recovered from their respective injuries and lasted the entire 45 minutes of Barcelona’s first outing.
It was hardly a vintage performance from either star, considering Forest frustrated Flick’s side for long stretches, leaving both players chasing after the ball. But they each stepped up in the dying stages to secure three points for the defending Spanish champions.
Fermín won his side the game-winning penalty, getting between two defenders to control a ball out of the air inside his own box. Forest center back Nikola Milenković’s attempted clearance saw him turn his body into the ball, where it caught his arm.
Raphinha then stepped up to the spot and calmly dispatched the only goal of the 45-minute outing.
Both players will only get stronger with more minutes, a great sign for Barcelona. Plus, once the likes of Pedri and Lamine Yamal return, Raphinha and Fermín can remind rivals Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid why the Catalans topped La Liga the last two seasons.
Barcelona No Doubt Have a Striker Problem
Before Barcelona kicked off their two matches on Saturday, news broke of Ferran Torres reportedly reaching an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain. Should the transfer materialize, the defending Spanish champions would be without a single natural, first team center forward.
The dream is to snag Julián Alvarez’s signature, but Atlético Madrid seem unwilling to budge. With limited money to spare and options dwindling as the weeks progress, Flick might have to find solutions from within.
Hamza Abdelkarim seemed like an enticing option. The 18-year-old joined the club from Egyptian side Al Ahly in June, and bagged a brace in Barcelona’s 2–2 draw with Birmingham City last time out.
He got the nod against both Forest and Udinese on Saturday, but he failed to get much going. Abdelkarim no doubt has an admirable work rate, but he is still a wildly unfinished product. A glorious chance fell to him on the rebound against Forest, but he shot it right at the goalkeeper, who was still on the ground, instead of at the gaping goal.
Perhaps Abdelkarim can serve as a great depth option, but he is surely not ready to lead Barcelona’s line in just two weeks. In fact, there wasn’t any player out there for the defending Spanish champions that looked capable of starting as the team’s No. 9. It’s no wonder the Catalans only scored one goal across both matches—and it was a penalty.
Karim Adeyemi Is Not the Answer
In the wake of Torres’s looming transfer, new signing Karim Adeyemi had the perfect opportunity to stake his claim as a worthy starter in Flick’s attack.
The former Dortmund man made it known he can play “anywhere” when he first signed with the club, throwing his hat in the ring for the open No. 9 position following Robert Lewandowski’s exit. Yet in his first two appearances for Barcelona, Adeyemi has not even impressed on his preferred right wing.
On Saturday, the 24-year-old spent much of his time leisurely jogging, pretending to close down players without ever showing true intent or tenacity. Adeyemi looked off the pace, a step slower than both his teammates and competitors, especially when there was a ball to be won.
It didn’t help matters that he spent so much time on an island while much of Barcelona’s attack developed down the opposite side of the pitch. It also wasn’t a ringing endorsement of Adeyemi when two of his side’s best surges down the right against Forest came from the feet of Raphinha.
Once Yamal returns to take over the right wing, Adeyemi’s only real chance at starting would come as a center forward. Flick, though, will no doubt be turned off by the player’s lack of fight and inventiveness.
