La Liga champions Barcelona kicked off their pre-season with a comfortable 3-1 win over Japanese side Vissel Kobe on Sunday, as part of their Asia tour.
Pre-season friendlies are all about preparation and evaluating players. Manager Hansi Flick took full advantage by fielding two completely different lineups in each half. Two debutants — Roony Bardghji and Pedro Fernández — made their mark by scoring, helping Barça secure a routine victory.
Eric Garcia opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. A failed clearance following a corner allowed him to fire home from a crowded box. Interestingly, the Spanish defender had also scored against Vissel Kobe in a friendly last year.
However, Barcelona conceded an equalizer in the 42nd minute due to a midfield error. Pau Cubarsí lost possession, and although Garcia saved the first attempt, Taisei Miyashiro capitalized on the rebound to level the score.
Barcelona dominated the match with nearly 79% possession. They fired 16 shots, 5 of which were on target. Vissel Kobe managed 8 attempts, with 4 on target.
Several first-team players — including Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and Pedri — were not brought back in the second half. Instead, substitutes like Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, Dani Olmo, and Bardghji were given minutes.
In the 77th minute, Bardghji put Barça back in front with a brilliant goal. He latched onto a through ball from Rashford, which was initially played to Lewandowski, and with his first touch, the 19-year-old Swedish winger slotted a low left-footed shot into the net.
Bardghji, born in Kuwait and recently signed from FC Copenhagen, is already being touted as one of Europe’s brightest young prospects. Barcelona secured him on a four-year deal earlier this month.
Shortly after the goal, Rashford was replaced by 17-year-old Pedro Fernández. Just three minutes from full-time, Fernández sealed the win with a stunning volley from outside the box, finding the net after intercepting a loose ball from the opponent.
Fernández, born in Spain to a Filipina mother, rose through Barça’s famed youth academy. Many fans and pundits see shades of club legend Andrés Iniesta in his playing style. He had trained with the first team last season and made an eye-catching debut in this match.
Barcelona had initially canceled the Japan leg of their tour due to a dispute with a local promoter. However, once the issue was resolved, the trip was reinstated.
Up next in their Asia tour, Barcelona will face FC Seoul on Thursday and Daegu FC on August 4 in South Korea.
