Watch: Violent clash between Barcelona and Egypt's Al-Ahly fans
The Joan Gamper Trophy match between Barcelona and Egypt's Al-Ahly at Camp Nou was marred by a violent brawl in the stands. Despite the festive atmosphere, security forces had to intervene to restore order.
On Wednesday, the festive ceremony of presenting the Barcelona squad and the Joan Gamper Trophy match took place at the Camp Nou stadium, where the Catalans hosted Egypt's Al-Ahly. However, the match, which was supposed to be a celebration, turned into an unpleasant event following a violent brawl in the stands.
The incidents occurred in the north stand, where fans from both teams were mixed. According to a report in the Catalan newspaper "Sport", the visiting fans unfurled banners — one of them reportedly marked 20 years of the "Ultras Ahlawy" organization and commemorated the 74 fans who were killed in the Port Said disaster in 2012. The unfurling of the banners led to objects, including cups, being thrown from the upper stands, sparking physical confrontations.
The antagonists began to fight, and security had to intervene immediately to separate the two camps. Police forces used batons to restore order. Some eyewitness accounts on social media claimed that it was the Barcelona fans who started throwing objects after the banners were raised, and that some of the Egyptian fans responded in kind until security intervened. A large number of fans were removed from the stadium following the incident.
The match was the first in the Joan Gamper Trophy framework held at the upgraded Spotify Camp Nou since 2022 and took place in front of more than 54,000 spectators. The match opened with a goal by former Al-Ahly striker Hamza Abd al-Karim, who put Barcelona up 1:0 in the 30th minute against his former team and therefore decided not to celebrate. Raphinha doubled the lead with a penalty shortly before halftime, and Ahmed Sayed from Al-Ahly narrowed the score at the beginning of the second half. Later, Anthony Gordon missed a penalty for the hosts.
In addition, the Israeli Orian Goren of Barcelona played a full half and was close to scoring after an impressive move and a good shot that narrowly missed. In the end, the Catalans won 2:1 and secured the Joan Gamper Trophy.
