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Barcelona Clinches 61st Joan Gamper Trophy with 2–1 Victory Over Al Ahly

Written by space4knews on . Posted in Sports.

Barcelona officially kicked off the 2026–27 season by defeating Al Ahly 2–1 at Camp Nou to win their 61st Joan Gamper Trophy. Nineteen-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim and Rafinha scored in the first half, giving Barcelona a 2–0 lead. Al Ahly became the first African and Arab club to compete in the Gamper Trophy but were unable to stop Barcelona on their home turf. September 20, Kathmandu.

In a competitive match held at their home ground Camp Nou, Spanish champions Barcelona overcame Egypt’s Al Ahly 2–1 to claim the 61st edition of the Joan Gamper Trophy. This tournament was particularly notable as Al Ahly became the first African and Arab club to participate in this prestigious pre-season competition.

The packed Camp Nou witnessed a historic clash between two successful clubs from different continents of world football. The opening goal for Barcelona came from 19-year-old forward Hamza Abdelkarim, who delivered a superb finish against his former club, much to the delight of the home supporters. Rafinha then extended the lead to 2–0 with a penalty in the first half.

In the second half, Al Ahly’s Zizo pulled a goal back, narrowing the deficit. Barcelona’s new signing Anthony Gordon missed a penalty opportunity, preventing the hosts from restoring a two-goal cushion. The Joan Gamper Trophy was inaugurated in 1966 by then-president Enric Llaudet and is named in honor of Barcelona’s founder, former player, and president Joan Gamper. Held annually just before La Liga begins, the tournament traditionally serves as an official home debut for Barcelona’s first team, earning it the nickname ‘season curtain-raiser.’

Al Ahly, one of Africa’s most successful clubs, made history by participating in the Gamper Trophy for the first time. Despite a competitive performance, the Egyptian champions ultimately fell short of claiming the trophy on Barcelona’s home ground. Barcelona now looks to carry the confidence from this victory into their preparations for the upcoming La Liga season.