Barcelona, under new head coach Hansi Flick, endured a tough 3-0 defeat to Monaco in their final pre-season friendly ahead of the LaLiga opener. The match, held at the Olympic Stadium, marked Flick’s first home game in charge since his appointment in May.
Despite positive results during their US tour, including a win over Real Madrid, Barcelona struggled against the Ligue 1 side. Monaco took the lead early in the second half of the Joan Gamper Trophy match through Lamine Camara. Breel Embolo quickly added a second, leaving the Catalan side reeling.
Barcelona’s woes were compounded when Ilkay Gundogan was forced off after suffering a blow to the head. Flick responded by bringing on 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, Spain’s Euro 2024 star, in an attempt to inject energy into the team. However, despite a brief spark from Yamal, Barcelona’s performance remained lackluster.
Monaco sealed the victory with a late goal from Christian Mawissa, prompting whistles from the home crowd. Barcelona will now turn their focus to the upcoming LaLiga season, where they face a challenging opener against Valencia on Saturday. Meanwhile, rivals Real Madrid, strengthened by the signing of Kylian Mbappe, kick off their campaign on Sunday against Real Mallorca.
