Birmingham City vs Barcelona Blues Win on Penalties

St Andrew’s delivered a preseason shock, two comebacks and a brutal finish from the spot. Birmingham City vs Barcelona ended 2-2 before the Blues won the shootout 3-2.

Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham watched his boyhood club unsettle Spain’s champions from the stands. Hamza Abdelkarim scored twice on his senior debut, yet James Beadle owned the final scene.

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Birmingham City vs Barcelona starts with a local punch

Barcelona arrived in England with a young squad and several World Cup players still resting. Therefore, Hansi Flick used the friendly to test new signings, academy talent and his high defensive line. Birmingham treated the occasion with greater competitive sharpness from the opening whistle. Moreover, their direct running and set piece delivery repeatedly tested Barcelona’s unfamiliar back line.

August Priske opened the scoring after 31 minutes with a firm header from a cross. That goal rewarded Birmingham’s stronger first half-hour and lifted the St Andrew’s crowd. However, Barcelona slowly found cleaner passes through Marc Casadó and Marc Bernal. Hamza Abdelkarim then attacked the penalty area and drew a foul before halftime.

🇩🇰🎯 The moment August Priske scores! 🔥

🏟️ Birmingham 1-0 Barcelona pic.twitter.com/RbDCLReRfX
— The Moment Football (@themomentfooty) July 31, 2026

At 42 minutes, the Egyptian striker converted calmly and restored parity. Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham received a warm welcome at the stadium where his professional career began. His presence added a Clásico flavour, although the night belonged to Birmingham’s supporters. Flick also handed unofficial debuts to Karim Adeyemi, Ebrima Tunkara, Shane Kluivert and Abdelkarim.As a result, Barcelona gained valuable minutes despite lacking rhythm and senior continuity.

🚨Jude Bellingham is home 💙💙💙 pic.twitter.com/j2U3LKg4DW
— jude bellingham updates (@JudeUniverse5) July 31, 2026

Hamza Abdelkarim turns the match in six minutes

KEY SWING: 60′ – Abdelkarim made it 2-1. 69′ – Jhon Solís restored parity for Birmingham

Barcelona changed several players at halftime and immediately moved the ball with greater speed. Roony Bardaghji added directness from the right, while the midfield found better passing angles. At 60 minutes, Bardghji’s effort forced an error and Abdelkarim attacked the loose ball. He finished quickly for his second goal and gave Barcelona a 2-1 lead.

🇪🇬🎯 The moment Hamza Abdelkarim (18) scores! 🌟

🏟️ Birmingham 1-2 Barcelona pic.twitter.com/PJ8ZEKrmCB
— The Moment Football (@themomentfooty) July 31, 2026

Moreover, the brace showed classic centre-forward habits inside a crowded penalty area. Abdelkarim timed both actions well and stayed composed when the match became chaotic. However, Birmingham answered before Barcelona could control possession. Jhon Solís finished a rehearsed free kick move in the 69th minute.

GOOOOLLLL FROM JHON SOLIS! He scored for Birmingham City in a friendly against Barcelona to tie the game 2-2! 🇨🇴💪 pic.twitter.com/hTrmDtW2px
— Colombian Fútbol Report 🇨🇴 (@ColFootyReport) July 31, 2026

The Colombian midfielder’s equaliser restored the local energy and exposed Barcelona’s set piece marking. Therefore, the match returned to an open rhythm with both teams chasing a winner. James Beadle then denied late Barcelona chances and kept the score level. Meanwhile, Alex Cochrane struck the crossbar with a powerful volley for Birmingham.

🇨🇴🤝🏼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | Jhon Solis celebrando como Bellingham trás marcarle al Barcelona y Jude viéndolo desde la tribuna apoyando al club que lo vió nacer.

Lindo momento para el joven colombiano en Birmingham. pic.twitter.com/7BcFxM1Snj
— Fútbol Gráfico (@GraficoFutbol) July 31, 2026

Flick’s rotations reveal promise and preseason rust

Flick used two different waves of players, which gave the friendly a clear evaluation purpose. However, constant changes weakened Barcelona’s collective timing during key defensive phases. Karim Adeyemi showed speed on his debut, yet his final decisions lacked precision. Meanwhile, Tunkara offered power and Bardghji improved the right side after halftime.

Barcelona’s high line remained aggressive, but Birmingham attacked the spaces behind it. Therefore, the Blaugrana needed sharper pressure whenever possession changed hands. Wojciech Szczęsny made an important save before halftime and protected the 1-1 score. Áron Yaakobishvili replaced him later as Flick spread minutes across the squad.

Moreover, several academy players handled the physical tempo without hiding from possession. The performance still lacked the passing control expected from Barcelona’s strongest lineup.

The 2-2 draw ends with Birmingham winning 3-2 on penalties

Regulation ended level after Beadle stopped Barcelona from finding a late third goal. Protocol required a winner, so the teams moved directly to a penalty shootout. Birmingham held its nerve and completed a 3-2 victory from the spot. Moreover, Beadle’s presence gave the home side confidence during the decisive sequence.

The result closed Birmingham’s preseason with a prestigious victory against the LaLiga champions. Barcelona, meanwhile, opened its 2026/27 preparations with useful minutes and several encouraging debuts. Official reports from both clubs treated the contest as development work, not a competitive verdict. Therefore, Flick can accept the defeat while demanding better spacing and faster circulation.

Hamza Abdelkarim penalty goal in Birmingham vs Barcelona game.pic.twitter.com/bMH4NnsM6c
— Daily Foot Vibes (@dailyfootvibes) August 1, 2026

The match also showed how quickly set pieces can punish a rotating defence. Birmingham scored once from a cross and once from a planned restart. As a result, Barcelona left St Andrew’s with clear training priorities. Those lessons include second-ball control, defensive communication, and calmer finishing under pressure.

What Barcelona gained despite the defeat

Barcelona lost the shootout, yet Abdelkarim’s performance gave Flick the night’s strongest positive. His two goals showed movement, calm finishing and hunger around rebounds. Moreover, the young striker offered a genuine reference point against experienced defenders. Adeyemi’s first appearance also gave coaches useful evidence about his current sharpness.

🇪🇬🗣️ The moment Hamza Abdelkarim speaks after the match. pic.twitter.com/Ru4XUsJjj2
— The Moment Football (@themomentfooty) August 1, 2026

However, Barcelona must connect his speed with quicker support from midfield. The academy group also gained exposure inside a demanding senior environment. Therefore, this match can accelerate decisions about loans, squad roles, and further preseason minutes. Flick will still expect better control when his international players return.

Meanwhile, fans in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca will watch how these youngsters survive the next tests. The shootout defeat will fade quickly if Barcelona improves before LaLiga begins. Still, Birmingham’s pressure offered an honest warning about rhythm, set pieces and defensive spacing.

Birmingham City vs Barcelona gave preseason football exactly what supporters wanted goals, debuts, tension and a surprise winner. However, the result matters less than Abdelkarim’s brace and Flick’s first serious squad assessment. Jude Bellingham enjoyed an emotional return, while Beadle delivered Birmingham’s decisive moment.

𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐀𝐌 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐀 𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 & 𝐉𝐔𝐃𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐀𝐌 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐓 😁 pic.twitter.com/8b6qrzrjwL
— 433 (@433) July 31, 2026

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