Hamza Abdel Karim Catches Flick's Eye and Learns from Haaland

Hamza Abdel Karim, the young Egyptian forward for Barcelona, has captured attention during the pre-season preparations for the new season, scoring three goals to become the team's top scorer in friendly matches, while also delivering performances that have earned praise from coach Hans Flick.

Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" reported that 18-year-old Hamza possesses a remarkable goal-scoring instinct, along with the ability to drift away from the penalty area to contribute to build-up play and engage in one-touch football, traits that align with Flick's requirements for a number 9 striker.

Hansi Flick praised the Egyptian striker after he scored two goals against Birmingham, emphasizing that the forward must show up in the penalty area, which Hamza did. He noted that this is what he expects from a player in this position.

According to "Mundo Deportivo", Hamza completed 8 passes against Basel and 9 against Birmingham, while touching the ball 9 times in 45 minutes against Basel and 24 times in 62 minutes against Birmingham. He scored three goals from five attempts.

During his first training sessions with Barcelona, Hamza impressed the coaching staff with his ability to finish attacks. The staff utilized video clips of Erling Haaland and Viktor Gyökeres, along with Samuel Eto'o at times, to enhance his understanding of striker movements, while guiding him to stay away from the penalty area at specific times.

Hamza is preparing to play his last friendly match with Barcelona against Al Ahly on Wednesday at Spotify Camp Nou, a game that holds special significance for the Egyptian striker, having previously played 9 matches with Al Ahly's first team. This match will also be an opportunity for him to showcase his skills in front of Barcelona fans during the pre-season.