هدف مصر يغيّر حسابات برشلونة.. فليك يفتح الباب أمام حمزة عبد الكريم

The first goal for young Egyptian striker Hamza Abdel Karim with the Egyptian national team has opened the door to a new phase in his journey with Barcelona, as his international appearances have strengthened his presence in the Catalan team's plans, amidst a strategy to gradually give him a larger role with the first team.

According to the Spanish newspaper "Sport," Barcelona plans to involve Hamza Abdel Karim in about 10 to 15 matches with the first team during the current season, as part of a strategy aimed at providing him with the necessary experience without rushing to place significant responsibilities on him at the beginning of his professional career.

Flick insists on gradual progression

This plan comes after a remarkable preparation period for the Egyptian striker, who showed good levels before the season started, although he received limited minutes at the beginning of the official competitions.

Coach Hansi Flick had previously confirmed that Hamza deserves a chance, noting his continuous development in training and his ability to score goals, while emphasizing that introducing him needs to be gradual and timed appropriately.

Hamza made his first appearance with Barcelona in La Liga during the match against Rayo Vallecano, when he participated in the final minutes after missing the team's first two matches in the competition.

The Project of a Number 9 Striker

Barcelona views Hamza as a project for a Number 9 striker who can be relied upon in the future, given what he has shown in terms of technical and physical abilities and attacking movements during the preparation period.

His participation with the Egyptian national team provides an additional opportunity to gain diverse experiences, especially with matches at the international level and the exposure to competitions that differ from the atmosphere of the reserve team or youth category matches.

At the same time, Spanish reports indicate that Barcelona prefers to keep the Egyptian striker close to the first team rather than pushing for a loan, allowing the coaching staff to monitor his development and benefit from his presence in first-team training.

10 to 15 Matches

The limited participation of Hamza at the beginning of the season raised questions, especially after his impressive performances during the preparation period, but Spanish reports linked this to the coaching staff's desire to spare him early pressures and give him enough time to adapt to the demands of the first team.

Previous reports from "Sport" also indicated that European clubs are interested in monitoring the player's development, given that there is a release clause in his contract worth 15 million euros, according to the newspaper.

With the pressure of matches and the variety of competitions, Flick seems to have a greater opportunity to implement a gradual policy by giving Hamza specific minutes and then gradually increasing them, depending on his level and development, so that his participation with the Egyptian national team becomes a new boost on his path to establishing himself with Barcelona's first team.