Egyptian youngster Hamza Abdelkarim is set to take one of the most important steps of his early Barcelona career when he makes his first appearance for the club’s senior team in a friendly against CE Europa later today, as the Catalan giants begin their preparations for the new season.

The match will be played behind closed doors at the club’s training ground, with German manager Hansi Flick using the fixture to assess a number of players who have worked with him during the opening two weeks of preseason, particularly those whose futures with the first team have yet to be decided.

Abdelkarim’s Opportunity

The circumstances could provide Hamza Abdelkarim with an ideal chance to catch Flick’s attention, especially with Barcelona’s attacking duo Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres absent from the squad. Their absence could give the Egyptian striker more room to showcase his abilities in front of the manager.

Flick had previously promoted Abdelkarim to first-team training during preseason, alongside several players from Barcelona Atlètic and the club’s youth setup, following the progress he had made in recent months and his participation with the Egypt national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Barcelona’s squad for the match includes several first-team players, including Marc-André ter Stegen, Wojciech Szczęsny, Alejandro Balde, Andreas Christensen, Marc Casadó, Gerard Martín, Marc Bernal, Héctor Fort, Roony Bardghji and Ronald Araújo.

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Flick will also rely on a group of young talents and reserve-team players, with Hamza Abdelkarim among those hoping to use the game as a platform to make a strong impression before the official start of the season.

Flick’s Test

Despite the friendly nature of the match, its significance for Hamza Abdelkarim goes far beyond simply making an appearance. The Egyptian striker is looking to turn the opportunity into another step toward securing a place in the first-team picture.

Having represented Egypt at the World Cup, the young forward now faces a new challenge at one of the biggest clubs in world football. He will be expected to make the most of every minute he receives and show Flick why he deserves to remain part of the first-team plans.

Barcelona and CE Europa also share a long history, having faced each other during the early years of the Spanish league. Their more recent meetings have also produced notable moments, including Europa’s victories over Barcelona in the Catalan Cup finals, as well as a memorable 2008 clash in which Pep Guardiola led Barcelona B to a 1-0 victory over Europa to secure the Third Division title.

However, beyond the historical context, the main focus will be on what Barcelona’s next generation can offer, with Hamza Abdelkarim among the players whose performance could shape his early path at the Catalan club.

Can the Egyptian striker take advantage of the absences of Lewandowski and Ferran Torres and give Flick another reason to keep him in the first-team picture?