FC Barcelona secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over FC Seoul today in a captivating pre-season friendly at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The match, part of Barcelona's 2025 Asian Tour, saw a vibrant attacking display from both sides, much to the delight of the enthusiastic South Korean crowd.
Barcelona, under new head coach Hansi Flick, opened the scoring early with Robert Lewandowski finding the net in the 8th minute. Young sensation Lamine Yamal, sporting the iconic number 10 jersey for the first time, doubled Barcelona's lead just six minutes later with a stunning left-footed strike. Yamal's goal marked his first as Barcelona's new No. 10, a number famously worn by Lionel Messi, and quickly endeared him to the Asian fans.
However, FC Seoul, a strong contender in the K-League 1, showed resilience and fought back admirably. Young-Wook Cho pulled one back for the hosts in the 26th minute, and Al Arab leveled the score at 2-2 just before halftime, sending the Seoul faithful into a frenzy.
The second half saw both teams pushing for a winner, with Barcelona ultimately finding the decisive goal in the 45+3 minute through another Lamine Yamal effort, securing the 3-2 victory.
The match also featured an intriguing reunion between former Manchester United teammates Marcus Rashford, now on loan at Barcelona, and Jesse Lingard, a key figure for FC Seoul. Both players saw action and contributed to the exciting encounter.
This victory marks Barcelona's second win of their Asian tour, following a 3-1 triumph over Vissel Kobe in Japan a few days prior. The Catalan giants will conclude their South Korean leg of the tour on August 4 against Daegu FC before returning to Spain for the annual Joan Gamper Trophy.
For FC Seoul, the friendly against a European powerhouse like Barcelona provided valuable experience and a chance to test themselves against world-class talent, showcasing their competitive spirit and highlighting the growing profile of the K-League.
