Why Barcelona rejected Iwobi, Bassey for African giants Al Ahly

Barcelona's decision to snub English Premier League side Fulham means Nigerian stars Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey miss out on a prestigious trip to Catalonia.

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, the decision to pick African giants Al Ahly instead stemmed directly from a bitter El Clasico rivalry,

The Catalan giants were initially eager to host a prominent English top-flight team for the 2026 edition of the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy, hoping a high-profile Premier League opponent would maximise commercial appeal and global broadcast viewership.

Fulham quickly emerged as a top candidate on the club's administrative shortlist. However, the Blaugrana hierarchy instantly discarded the idea following Fulham's sudden appointment of former Real Madrid defender and coach Álvaro Arbeloa as their new manager.

Barcelona officials were deeply reluctant to have a figure with such an intense, adversarial history with their club take centre stage at their annual season-opening celebration.

With Fulham swiftly crossed off the list due to the Arbeloa connection, Barcelona executives pivotally explored other international avenues to finalise the August friendly.

Dutch powerhouses Ajax and Mexican heavyweights Cruz Azul were briefly placed under consideration as replacement options, but the respective parties ultimately failed to reach a definitive logistical agreement to stage the fixture in Spain.

Seeking an alternative elite opponent, Barcelona officially finalised an agreement with reigning Egyptian and African champions Al Ahly, setting up a fascinating, alternative continental battle to ring in the new campaign.