As the game neared its conclusion, Barça’s players visibly showed signs of exhaustion from their constant movement throughout the match, leading to careless errors from the forwards that thwarted promising attacks.
Flick made substitutions in the final 10 minutes, bringing on Vitor Roque, Mika Faye, and Guille Fernández, resulting in Barça ending the game with a very youthful lineup. Despite their efforts to stay composed and create opportunities, and their relentless pressing to regain possession, they couldn’t find a final chance, and the match ended in a draw.
There was still a possibility to win via penalties, but Milan clinched the shootout 4-3 after 12 attempts, with Faye missing the decisive shot. This first penalty defeat of the preseason is insignificant, and the overall performance remained positive and impressive for a team still early in their development under a new coach and missing several key players.
Barça performed admirably in their three preseason games in America, avoiding defeat in regulation time, with several young players making strong cases for a spot in the first team. Flick has demonstrated that his approach can be effective at Barça.
The tour of the United States has undoubtedly been a success.
