Young Egyptian striker Hamza Abdel Karim continued to present his credentials with Barcelona’s first team after scoring another goal during the friendly match against Swiss side FC Basel, as part of the Catalan club’s preparations for the upcoming season.
Hamza scored Barcelona’s second goal in the 49th minute when he capitalized on his presence inside the penalty area, tapping the ball into the net with his left foot from close range to give Hansi Flick’s team a 2-1 lead.
The 18-year-old striker raised his tally to 3 goals during his appearances with the first team in the pre-season, continuing to exploit the minutes he gets to convince the technical staff of his ability to fill the center-forward position.
Hamza had previously scored both of Barcelona’s goals in the friendly match against Birmingham City. He netted the first from a penalty he won himself in the 41st minute, before adding the second in the 60th minute following a rebound from the English team’s goalkeeper.
Regular time of the Birmingham match ended in a 2-2 draw, before Barcelona lost on penalties. However, Hamza’s brace earned him widespread praise and made him one of the standout gains of the pre-season.
The Egyptian player’s chances of getting significant minutes with the first team next season are increasing, especially since Barcelona has not yet signed a new out-and-out striker following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
Flick has several players capable of playing temporarily in the center of the attack, but Hamza remains the only recognized center-forward in the current squad, which might give him a much bigger role than expected at the beginning of the summer.
Barcelona had permanently activated the purchase clause for Hamza from the Egyptian club Al Ahly following his brilliant performances with the youth teams. The player signed a contract that runs until the summer of 2029, before quickly beginning his journey to establish himself among the senior players.
