FC Barcelona played their first pre-season friendly in their tour of the USA against Arsenal. This was scheduled to be their second match, but the Catalans had to miss the first friendly game against Juventus because of a gastroenteritis outbreak in the squad.
This friendly encounter resulted in a defeat for FC Barcelona as the Catalan team was unable to match the five goals scored by the Gunners. Despite an early goal from Lewandowski, the team fell behind in the match, and strikes from Raphinha and Torres were not enough to lead Barcelona to victory.
While the match resulted in a defeat, there were still some positives that Xavi could take away from this friendly encounter. One such positive was the great performance of Ez Abde, who returned from a loan to Osasuna this summer.
It was Abde’s speed, dribbling, and passing that directly led to the first goal by Lewandowski. In the 45 minutes that Abde played, he showed Xavi that he was capable enough to remain in the team for the upcoming season. Xavi’s decision can also be influenced by the fact that there is only Dembele who has a similar profile to Abde, and there is no other such explosive forward in the squad.
Mundo Deportivo reports that Abde’s future is still highly uncertain, with several Spanish and European teams interested in the winger. However, there is a growing possibility that the Moroccan can remain with the Catalans for the coming season, and his performances in the USA can be decisive in this regard.
A big challenge awaits Abde and the rest of the FC Barcelona team as they face Real Madrid in their next match in the USA. Real Madrid are coming in this match, having won their first two matches in the States, and there is also the added pressure of playing in the Classico that can further test Abde’s abilities before Xavi makes a conclusive decision regarding his future.
