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The German coach bets on his Egyptian striker among the 4 talents of the reserves
“Barcelona” head coach German Hansi Flick has decided to give Egyptian talent Hamza Abdel Karim the opportunity to appear with the first team in the pre-season training period, among the reserves and the most famous players of the academy who will participate in the start of summer training.
According to Sport, a newspaper close to the Catalan team, Flick has drawn up a preliminary list of four young players who will have the opportunity to work with the first team, led by Hamza Abdel Karim, Gambian Ebrima Tunkara, Orian Gorin and striker Oscar Gestau.
The German coach’s decision comes in light of the delayed return of a number of key players in the squad for the 2026 World Cup, opening the door for a host of La Masia academy talents to prove their mettle in the opening weeks of the pre-season.
Barcelona’s preparations for the new season are expected to begin on July 13 while the World Cup is still underway, delaying the return of some international players until August, giving young players more opportunity to introduce themselves to the coaching staff.
However, Abdel Karim has a special situation as he is participating in the World Cup with Egypt and therefore, if the Pharaohs win the advanced stage of the tournament, the date for the young striker to join the training period will be delayed.
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Hamza Abdel Karim is considered one of the most popular talents in the Catalan club’s youth section, as he has recently attracted attention for his technical performance and attacking abilities, so Flick has rewarded him by promoting him to first-team training and keeping a close eye on him in the pre-season.
The German coach is also expected to allow a number of young players to take part in training sessions and friendlies as part of his plan to assess emerging talent and pick the right elements to be part of the team’s draft next season.
Flick is betting on taking advantage of La Masia’s academy to strengthen Barcelona’s ranks, especially after the success of a number of academy graduates in recent years, making the upcoming pre-season an important stop for many talents vying for a place in the first team.
