With numerous players playing, Salzburg pushed the pace for 90 minutes and also had chances against the world club from Spain, which had not advanced with all of its stars. Noah Okafor missed two seaters, but Luka Sucic scored from distance (43.). Barcelona equalized happily and flatteringly with Martin Braithwaite (82nd), but Aaronson scored the deserved and acclaimed 2-1 (90th).
The match against the Catalans also served as a test run for the decisive play-off for promotion to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. But before it goes to Bröndby Copenhagen at home on August 17th (9:00 p.m.), the games against Austria (h) and Admira (a) are still part of everyday life in the Bundesliga. For Barcelona it starts on August 15th in La Liga, after three victories it is now the first defeat in the preparation in Salzburg.
Sold out house in pouring rain
For the first time since 1993, the great FC Barcelona played a game in Austria, and for the first time since February 2020 the stadium in Wals-Siezenheim was sold out again. At the next test match highlight – in 2019, Salzburg played against Real Madrid (0: 1), a week ago against Atletico (1: 0) – the tickets were gone within a day.
The 29,520 spectators also defied the adverse rainy weather, quite a few unpacked their “Barca lingerie” and tried to get photos with their sporty favorites near the pitch. The Austrian newcomer Yusuf Demir was also asked for photos, which as a Rapid player in Salzburg was rarely or not at all.
Stars on the field, Demir first on the bench
Despite the absence of the absolute superstar Lionel Messi, who will probably not sign a new contract until after his vacation return, the spectators saw some Barca stars on the field.
Coach Ronald Koeman let the Spanish world and European champion Sergio Busquets begin, as well as the French world champion Antoine Griezmann and the Dutch internationals Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay. Gerard Pique took a seat on the bench, next to him Demir, who had scored in the test in Stuttgart (3-0).
Salzburg hardship upset Barca
Matthias Jaissle rotated the Salzburg starting XI after the 7-1 win against Ried, but that didn’t detract from the intensity of the “Bulls” – not even against Barcelona. After fireworks before the game, which had obviously caught one or the other Catalan star on the wrong foot, they also seemed surprised by the physical presence of the opponent. In the course of the first half, Busquets and Depay in particular had to take a lot, the captain and Koeman immediately intervened with the referee team around Rene Eisner.
An intense game developed in which Salzburg was able to quickly beat the well-known ball-loving Barcelona. Because both defensive lines also revealed gaps, there was not only a lot of pace in the first half, but also many opportunities to be seen.
Depay was just intercepted by Griezmann and Jordi Alba (7th), the following corner brought a dangerous header from Ronald Aurojo (8th). Salzburg kept coming back with great speed via Karim Adeyemi, whom Barcelona once wanted to steer towards them, but in the last third they still lacked penetrating power.
Okafor awards top opportunities
In the 25th minute it should have been 1-0 for Salzburg, but it wasn’t Noah Okafor’s day. After a back pass from Alba intercepted by Sucic, the midfielder served the striker ideally on the five, but Okafor missed the goal – it should not be the last time. Mohamed Camara rightly picked up the yellow card a little later for repeated foul play.
It stayed intense, it went back and forth, and there were deals on both sides. Depay first duped Jerome Onguene and flicked the ball over to the right (34th), before Griezmann stroked the top of the bar with a soulful lifter (37th). Again, Salzburg should have scored when Adeyemi served Okafor after a speed advance. However, the 21-year-old managed to pass the ball again on the five (38th). Not only the most expensive new addition in the club’s history (11.20 million euros) could not believe it in the arena.
Sucic hits from a distance
Because all good things came in threes and Sucic simply took heart, Salzburg went into the dressing room with a well-deserved tour. Adeyemi put a little more than 20 meters from the gate to Sucic, and the Croat pulled with his left. De Jong falsified untenable for Neto, who represented the German Marc-Andre ter Stegen (43.). The “bull” arena had now finally turned into a madhouse.
During the break, the mood calmed down, then the hosts showed a different face, because Jaissle had exchanged nine men. Okafor stayed on the field, maybe to reward himself with a goal. But it shouldn’t be, Okafor stumbled and missed more chances (45th, 48th, 52nd).
Flattering compensation, acclaimed winning goal
The newly formed Salzburg team initially managed to keep Barcelona away from the goal in the second half, but without being really compelling on the other side. After about an hour the interplay continued, the hapless Okafor left for young star Benjamin Sesko. Koeman also mixed up and brought Demir among others for Griezmann in the 72nd minute. The cheers and boos – Demir is Viennese – were spread across the stadium.
Barcelona pressed in the finish, but initially only got a long shot through “Joker” Alex Balde, which the substitute goalkeeper Philipp Köhn parried (69th). In the finish it got really turbulent. First, Barcelona managed the flattering equalizer through the Dane Braithwaite, who happily steered a deflected shot from Oumar Solet into the goal (82nd). But Salzburg put away the equalizer, stayed tuned and rewarded themselves with the 2: 1: Adamu hit the bar after a Seiwald pass, Aaronson into the goal (90th). It was the well-deserved conclusion of another test match highlight.
Soccer, test match
Salzburg – FC Barcelona 2:1 (1:0)
Wals-Siezenheim, Red Bull Arena, 29,520 spectators (sold out)
Tore: Sucic (82.) Aaronson (90.) bzw. Braithwaite (82.)
