Barcelona made an emphatic start to their La Liga campaign with a 5-0 away victory over Elche, but beyond the goal-filled performance, Egyptian fans were closely following another storyline as Hamza Abdelkarim remained on the bench throughout the match.

The young Egyptian striker was included in Hansi Flick’s squad but was not called upon, despite an impressive preseason in which he scored four goals and emerged as one of Barcelona’s standout performers during the summer preparations.

Barcelona Hit Five

Barcelona wasted little time taking control, with Raphinha opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the 14th minute.

Summer signing Karim Adeyemi doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time before Barcelona continued to dominate after the break.

Raphinha scored his second of the night in the 67th minute to make it 3-0, while Fermin Lopez completed the rout with two goals in the 71st and 79th minutes.

The victory handed Barcelona their first three points of the new league season after their opening-round fixture against Athletic Bilbao was postponed.

Despite Flick making several changes during the second half, Hamza was not introduced, meaning the Egyptian forward will have to wait a little longer for his official first-team appearance.

Hamza Responds with Confidence

Hamza reacted to his lack of minutes without showing any frustration over the coach’s decision.

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Following the game, the 18-year-old posted a message on social media stressing that his focus remains unchanged and that he will continue preparing himself for the moment his opportunity finally arrives.

His response reflects the mentality required from a young player competing for a place at one of Europe’s biggest clubs, particularly after a preseason in which his four goals strengthened his case for first-team minutes.

Barcelona are also reportedly working to secure the Egyptian striker’s long-term future. Talks have begun with Hamza and his representatives over improved contractual terms and the removal or amendment of his current €15 million release clause, although no final agreement has yet been reached.

Hamza initially joined Barcelona on loan from Al Ahly in February 2026 and impressed at youth level, scoring six goals before the Catalan club activated its option to sign him permanently on a contract running until the summer of 2029.

He later represented Egypt at the 2026 World Cup before cutting short his summer break to join Barcelona’s first-team preseason preparations.

With Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres having left the club, Hamza has an opportunity to push for a more prominent role in Barcelona’s attack, even as the club continues to explore the market for another striker.

His debut did not arrive against Elche, but Hamza’s reaction suggested that he sees the night on the bench not as a setback, but as another step toward the opportunity he believes will eventually come.