Barça shines and feels the strain in uneven international matchdays
The international matchday of September 25 left one bright face and another weary for Barça: while Raphinha, Jules Koundé and Hamza Abdelkarim recorded victories with Brazil, France and Egypt, Xavi Espart and Marc Bernal suffered defeat with the Spanish Under‑21 side.
International victories
Raphinha played the full ninety minutes in Brazil’s 1‑1 draw against Australia, where his assist in the extra‑time goal was decisive. The central area of the Barça winger found Rayan, who scored the goal in the 95th minute. According to journalist Gabriel Sans of EFE, he was one of the most active players of the Brazilian national team.
Jules Koundé completed the full ninety minutes in France’s 1‑0 victory over Turkey, debuting under the direction of Zinedine Zidane. He recorded an 87 % pass accuracy, made five recoveries and twelve defensive interventions, and unleashed a shot that hit the post. His performance included a key pass that contributed to Kylian Mbappé’s goal.
Hamza Abdelkarim was on the field for twenty‑eight minutes in Egypt’s goalless draw against Angola, coming on in the 62nd minute. The Barça forward tried to upset the match, although the score remained 0‑0. His involvement represented the club’s sole presence in the Egyptian lineup.
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Under‑21 defeat
Xavi Espart made his debut as a starter for the Spanish Under‑21 against Finland, but only lasted forty‑five minutes before being substituted after receiving a yellow card in the 35th minute. He played as a right‑back and struggled against the Finns’ vertical play. Spain ended up losing 2‑1.
Marc Bernal, Barça midfielder, played the full ninety minutes in midfield, but could not prevent the Spanish defeat, which remained behind at halftime and fell 2‑1. He was one of the few players who stayed on the pitch for the entire match. His performance showed the lack of offensive solutions of the Under‑21 side.
The contrast between the internationals’ triumphs and the Under‑21’s setback highlights the disparity of results that Barça experiences on the international stage, underscoring the need to consolidate collective performance across all its categories. The next call‑up of the Under‑21 national team will be crucial to reverse the trend.