FC Barcelona win over Sseoul FC

Seoul, South Korea - FC Barcelona delivered an attacking masterclass, defeating FC Seoul 7-3 in a thrilling preseason friendly at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The high-scoring affair showcased Barcelona's potent offensive capabilities, with Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres both bagging braces, while Robert Lewandowski, Andreas Christensen, and Gavi also found the net.

The match, part of Barcelona's Asian Tour, saw the Catalan giants get off to a flying start. Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 8th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after a Lamine Yamal shot hit the post. Just six minutes later, Yamal himself got on the scoresheet, demonstrating his individual brilliance with a dazzling run and a precise finish, wearing his new number 10 shirt.

Despite Barcelona's early dominance, FC Seoul showed resilience, managing to pull themselves back into the game with two goals before halftime. Young-Wook Cho found the net, albeit from what appeared to be an offside position (with no VAR in use for the friendly), and Yazan Al Arab leveled the score just before the break. However, Lamine Yamal had the final say of the first half, scoring his second goal to ensure Barcelona went into the interval with a 3-2 lead.

Hansi Flick, Barcelona's coach, rotated his entire XI for the second half, providing valuable minutes to a host of players, including new signings like Marcus Rashford and promising youngsters. The changes did not slow Barcelona's attacking momentum. Andreas Christensen unleashed a powerful long-range strike to extend the lead, followed by two quick goals from Ferran Torres and Gavi, pushing the score to 6-2.

While Han-Min Jung managed to pull one back for FC Seoul late in the game, Ferran Torres sealed his brace, assisted by Marcus Rashford, to restore Barcelona's four-goal cushion and end the match 7-3.

The match was a treat for the over 62,000 fans in attendance, who witnessed ten goals and an entertaining display of attacking football from both sides. While Barcelona's offensive prowess was evident, the three goals conceded highlighted areas for improvement in their defensive organization as they continue their preseason preparations for the upcoming 2025/26 season. Barcelona will now head to Daegu for their final tour game before returning to Spain.