Hamza Abdelkarim Barcelona forward scored twice on his debut against Birmingham City, giving the Egyptian a strong start to his first appearance for the Catalan club.
Barcelona played Birmingham City in a friendly last Friday and eventually lost on penalties. Abdelkarim, however, had already found the net twice before the shootout.
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu then praised the forward during an interview with On Sport Max.
“Hamza Abdelkarim has great talent, and he is an important player for the club in the future,” Bartomeu said.
He also highlighted Abdelkarim’s mentality and its role in his development.
“He also has a distinctive mentality that helps him develop and deliver his best over the coming period,” Bartomeu added.
Hamza Abdelkarim Barcelona Forward Makes Early Impact
Abdelkarim’s two goals came during his first Barcelona appearance against Birmingham City.
The Egyptian forward took advantage of the opportunity and gave Barcelona two goals before the match went to penalties.
That performance has now put his early Barcelona progress under attention as the club assesses his development.
Bartomeu Explains Barcelona’s Mohamed Salah Decision
The discussion then turned to Mohamed Salah and Barcelona’s decision not to sign the Liverpool forward during Bartomeu’s presidency.
Bartomeu praised Salah’s career but pointed to Barcelona’s attacking options at the time, with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez occupying key roles.
“Mohamed Salah was a legendary player, and he delivered wonderful levels with Liverpool and achieved many records,” Bartomeu said.
He also described Salah as a player who established his own identity at Liverpool.
“Mohamed Salah is a different player and of a high calibre, and he managed to create his own school within Liverpool,” Bartomeu added.
According to Bartomeu, Messi, Neymar and Suarez made a Salah transfer difficult during that period.
What Next for Hamza Abdelkarim at Barcelona?
Abdelkarim will now look for more opportunities after scoring twice in his first Barcelona appearance.
Barcelona face Elche in their next LaLiga fixture on August 23, 2026.
