Al-Ahli vs Barcelona: A Historic Clash for the Joan Gamper Cup

Barcelona will host Egyptian side Al Ahly at 9 p.m. today at their home ground, Spotify Camp Nou, in an important match for the Joan Gamper Cup. The game has attracted significant attention as the final preparatory step for both teams before launching their new seasons next week.

Before the anticipated clash, changes were made to Barcelona’s leadership group, as the club lost two players who captained the squad last season: Ronald Araújo, who is on loan to Liverpool, and Marc-André ter Stegen, who is on loan to Ajax. The club’s management has chosen star player Raphinha to take the captain’s armband for the upcoming season.

This decision marks a special milestone in the Brazilian winger’s career, making him the first Brazilian to wear Barcelona’s captain’s armband. Since joining the club from Leeds United in 2022, he has evolved into one of the key figures in the team’s setup.

Regarding preparations for the match, German coach Hansi Flick continued to ready his squad for the new season. This period included a series of friendly matches, the latest being a 5-2 victory over Swiss side Basel. The match featured young Egyptian star Hamza Abdel-Karim, who scored a brilliant goal just minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute, marking his third goal in friendlies this pre-season.

Flick had decided to include Abdel-Karim with the first team. The forward had been training with Barcelona Atlètic since his transfer from Al Ahly during the previous winter transfer window.

On the other side, Al Ahly’s head coach, Hossam El-Badry, concluded his preparations for the encounter. During the final training session, he focused on selecting the players who would feature in the match, with the coaching staff convinced that the starting lineup for this game would closely resemble the squad that will begin the new season.

El-Badry is seeking the best combination that blends experience with new talent, especially given the significant changes Al Ahly underwent during the summer transfer window. New signings include Moroccan Sofian Benjedda, Algerian Mansour Bazerqi, and young Enppi players Ali Mahmoud and Aqtay Abdullah. The club also welcomed back Akram Tawfik after a season with Qatari side Al-Shahaniya. Additionally, players on loan last season have returned: Mohamed Magdy Afsha, Omar El-Saidi, Karim El-Dibsi, Mohamed Abdullah, Ahmed Reda, and Moroccans Reda Slim and Ashraf Dari. This makes the match a crucial final test before entering official competitions.

Al Ahly now looks forward to the start of the new season after returning from Spain. Their campaign will begin in the league with a match against Enppi next Sunday.