2-4 v FC Barcelona - 8 August 2023 - Away

La Liga champions Barcelona struck late to take the honours in our final pre-season match of the summer at the Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic on Tuesday night.

It looked for a long time that we might add ourselves to a select band of clubs who have won the prestigious Joan Gamper Trophy on Barcelona's home soil - in this case, the Olympic Stadium, the Catalan's temporary home as the Nou Camp is renovated - a list of just three since 1997.

We recovered impressively from Robert Lewandowski's third-minute opener to completely turn the game on its head thanks to a double from Oliver Skipp.

Teams can wilt under such early pressure from the Catalan giants but we responded superbly and levelled on 24 minutes with Skipp's opener, a calm finish after Gio Lo Celso's shot from Sergio Reguilon's cross struck the post. We were on top now, Manor Solomon dragged a chance into the side-netting before Perisic picked out Skipp's late run from deep and the midfielder powered home his header from close range. There was still time for another chance as Richarlison released Solomon, but Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was up to the challenge.

Richarlison had the first chance in the second half, a quick turn and shot over from the edge of the box on 54 minutes. Pedri went close for Barca, but play soon switched to the other end as Ter Stegen did well to dig out Pedro Porro's drive through a crowded box.

Xavi made a number of changes just after the hour and we needed two big blocks from Davinson Sanchez to maintain the lead, the defender brilliantly denying Ferran Torres and Abde.

But Barca's second wave of pressure was coming, and they equalised om 81 minutes via Torres' close-range finish. Then, as the game ticked into added time, Ansu Fati broke through centrally and drilled past Vicario for 3-2 and Ezzalzouli finished it off three minutes later. A pity, but we fly home with our heads held high.