Three things you might have missed from Barcelona 2-1 Al Ahly | Joan Gamper Trophy | OneFootball

Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy offered plenty to discuss on the pitch, but some of the most interesting moments happened away from the television cameras.

From Joao Cancelo’s frustration before kick-off to an incident involving a group of Al Ahly supporters in the stands, the evening had far more to it than the action during the 90 minutes.

There was also a memorable moment involving Hamza Abdelkarim, who ended Barcelona’s pre-season as one of the standout performers but showed a different side of his character after scoring against his former club.

Here are three moments from Barcelona vs Al Ahly that were not fully captured by the match broadcast.

Cancelo frustrated after being denied Barcelona appearance

Cancelo had hoped to make an immediate return to action for Barcelona against Al Ahly.

The Portuguese full-back had only recently joined the club and was still waiting for his arrival to be fully processed. 

However, he was prepared to feature in the Gamper Trophy and was ready in the tunnel before the match.

Just minutes before kick-off, Cancelo was informed that he would not be able to play.

Despite the fixture being a friendly, the defender was told that he would not be included among the players announced for the game and could not take part.

The news left Cancelo visibly frustrated.

He returned to the dressing room upset after learning that his Barcelona appearance would have to wait. However, the situation did not create any tension within the squad.

Some of his teammates, including Gavi, joked with Cancelo after seeing his reaction. 

It was all taken in good spirits, with the players aware that the full-back would simply have to wait a little longer for his chance to wear the Barcelona shirt on the pitch.

Al Ahly supporters relocated

A more serious moment took place late in the match.

A group of Al Ahly supporters positioned behind one of the goals in the South Stand displayed banners with messages in Arabic while chanting in support of their team.

The banners themselves contained no offensive, political or religious messages. The issue arose because they obstructed the view of spectators sitting behind the group.

The situation then escalated, with some spectators throwing objects and bottles towards the area occupied by the Egyptian supporters.

Stadium security eventually stepped in to prevent the situation from becoming more serious.

Eventually, the group of Al Ahly fans was moved to another section of the stadium, bringing an end to several tense minutes in the stands.

Abdelkarim’s reaction showed respect for former club

The most telling off-camera moment, however, involved Hamza Abdelkarim.

The young striker continued his impressive pre-season by scoring again, finishing Barcelona’s preparations as the team’s leading scorer with four goals.

The Egyptian has emerged as one of the major positive stories of Barcelona’s summer and has earned praise from Hansi Flick for his performances.

Yet his reaction after scoring against Al Ahly attracted particular attention.

The Egyptian forward was facing his former club, and he appeared determined to show respect. 

Rather than celebrating wildly, Hamza kept his reaction restrained and calmly accepted the congratulations of his Barcelona teammates.

It was a small gesture, but one that showed his connection with Al Ahly.