Barcelona’s forward Lionel Messi shoots the ball during the friendly football match between against Leicester City on August 3, 2016 in Solna, Sweden © AFP / Jonathan Nackstrand
SOLNA, Sweden, Aug 3 – Barcelona thumped English Premier League champions Leicester City 4-2 in a pre-season friendly in Sweden on Wednesday but Claudio Ranieri’s side were given hope by a second-half brace from new boy Ahmed Musa.
Lionel Messi’s sumptuous pass set up the first of Munir El Haddadi’s two first-half goals while Luis Suarez netted in between as the Spanish champions exposed the Foxes’ defence.
Nigerian winger Musa, signed from CSKA Moscow, came out with all guns blazing as one of seven second-half changes for Leicester to score after a lightning 50-yard solo run and shot on 47 minutes.
He then won and converted a penalty after 66 minutes.
But with the scores at 3-2 Barcelona then sealed the International Champions Cup tournament match with a late winner from Rafa Mujica.
The English side who shocked the football world with their fairytale run to the Premier League title last season were beaten 4-0 last weekend by Paris Saint-Germain.
