Barcelona concluded their summer friendly campaign in spectacular fashion, securing a resounding 5-2 victory over Basel at St. Jakob-Park. The high-scoring encounter provided a showcase of Barcelona's impressive depth, as new signings and promising academy graduates flourished under head coach Hansi Flick ahead of the official season opener.
Early Pressure and New Signings Impact
From the opening whistle, Barcelona asserted control, launching high-tempo attacks to pin the Swiss hosts deep inside their own half. The Catalans nearly broke the deadlock in just the third minute when summer marquee signing Anthony Gordon—who completed a £69.3 million move from Newcastle—marked his debut with a brilliant setup for Eric Garcia. However, the defender could not convert the early chance.
Gordon remained a constant threat down the flank, but it was another fresh addition to Hansi Flick's squad who ultimately provided the breakthrough. In the 34th minute, Raphinha picked out space on the right wing and delivered an accurate cross toward the far post. Karim Adeyemi ghosted past his marker and met the ball on the volley, steering a precise left-footed finish into the net to score his first goal in a Barcelona shirt.
Basel proved resilient despite the early setback. Capitalizing on a rare moment of hesitation within the Barcelona defense in the 43rd minute, Jean Doucoure pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area and fired a powerful strike past the goalkeeper, sending the teams into the halftime interval tied at 1-1.
Flick's Substitutions Pay Immediate Dividends
Determined to restore their control, Hansi Flick made sweeping changes at the break, introducing Wojciech Szczesny, Jules Kounde, and teenage prospect Hamza Abdelkarim. The tactical adjustments altered the course of the match instantly.
Just four minutes after the restart, Barcelona reclaimed the lead through a swift team combination. Pushing forward into the box, Hamza Abdelkarim latched onto a low cross and finished clinically from close range in the 49th minute to make it 2-1, showcasing the clinical touch that has earned him growing praise during pre-season.
Late Penalty Drama at St. Jakob-Park
The home crowd was treated to a star-studded final quarter of the match as Spanish starlet Lamine Yamal entered the fray alongside Dani Olmo in the 65th minute. Yamal's arrival elevated Barcelona's attacking fluidity, leading to a frantic exchange of goals in the closing stages.
In the 81st minute, Kounde was brought down inside the penalty area by Basel defender Nicolas Vouilloz, prompting the referee to point to the spot. Lamine Yamal stepped up to execute the penalty, coolly sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to extend the lead to 3-1.
Basel responded almost immediately on the counter. Just moments later, Brian Farinas committed a foul on Kevin Ruegg inside Barcelona's box. Kazeem Olaigbe took responsibility for the hosts, converting the spot-kick to pull the score back to 2-3 and keep the contest alive.
The Bisiwu Show Seals the Victory
Any lingering hopes of a Basel comeback were completely erased by 18-year-old winger Jesse Bisiwu, who produced a sensational late performance after arriving from Club Brugge during the summer window.
In the 89th minute, Jesse Bisiwu picked up the ball on the edge of the area and curled a sublime shot into the top corner to make it 4-2. The young Belgian was far from finished; just two minutes later into stoppage time, Jesse Bisiwu found space inside the box once more, drilling home his second goal to complete a rapid brace and lock down a 5-2 final scoreline.
The commanding triumph in Switzerland offers plenty of encouragement for Hansi Flick. With Adeyemi off the mark, Gordon impressing on debut, Abdelkarim continuing his development, and Bisiwu providing late magic, Barcelona head into the new campaign with tremendous attacking firepower.