Barcelona Confirms Hamza Abdelkarim's Future as Dual Path Strategy

Barcelona have made their call on Hamza Abdelkarim – and they are not blinking.

Despite the 18-year-old going unused in the first two La Liga matchdays, the club hierarchy and Hansi Flick are described as having “absolute” faith in the young striker, according to Spanish outlet Sport. No panic, no rethink. Just the same roadmap they drew up months ago.

Abdelkarim ended the summer as Barça’s top scorer in pre-season, a breakout stretch that convinced Flick he already offers something different in the first-team attack. The German coach sees him as a live option off the bench, a pure No 9 who can change the rhythm of a game.

The club believe his body now matches that promise. Always a classic centre-forward with a strong frame, Abdelkarim has followed a specific physical programme and the results, per the report, are obvious: more power upstairs, more explosiveness in his legs, a profile built for duels at elite level.

That physical leap ties directly into his international exposure. Abdelkarim featured in the closing minutes of most of Egypt’s matches at the last World Cup, a run that sharpened his competitive edge and hardened his decision-making under pressure. Barcelona view that experience as a fast track to the demands of top-tier football, even if they are clear he still has key stages of his development ahead.

For now, the club’s plan is simple and firm. Abdelkarim will stay registered with Barcelona Atletic, where he has been handed the No 29 shirt this season. That decision was made from the outset to guarantee him regular minutes whenever the first-team door is temporarily closed.

Barcelona are under no illusion that his game time under Flick will fluctuate across a long campaign. That is where Juliano Belletti’s side come in. The B team is seen as the perfect safety net: competitive football, steady rhythm, and a controlled environment to refine an 18-year-old who already looks close to the senior standard.

There is another piece to this puzzle. Sport also reports that the club are working on renewing Abdelkarim’s contract, a clear signal that Barcelona do not just see him as a short-term bench option, but as a long-term asset they want tied down while his stock rises.