Barcelona secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in their club friendly on Saturday, August 8, with Raphinha scoring the decisive goal just before half-time.

The Spanish side controlled much of the encounter but found it difficult to break through Forest’s defensive organisation in the opening stages.

Nottingham Forest also created opportunities, with Morgan Gibbs-White coming close in the 29th minute as the English side looked capable of troubling Barcelona.

The turning point arrived shortly before the interval when Nottingham Forest defender Nikola Milenković was penalised for a foul inside the box.

Barcelona were awarded a penalty, giving them an opportunity to take the lead after a relatively balanced first half.

Raphinha stepped up and converted the spot-kick in first-half stoppage time, sending Barcelona into the break with a 1-0 advantage. The goal ultimately proved enough to secure victory for the Catalan club.

Forest continued to compete after the restart, but Barcelona managed to protect their lead and prevent their opponents from finding an equaliser.

Despite the friendly nature of the fixture, both teams showed considerable intensity as they continued preparations for the upcoming season.

The result will provide Barcelona with another positive outcome during their pre-season preparations, while Nottingham Forest will take encouragement from their competitive display despite failing to find the net.

Raphinha’s late first-half penalty was ultimately the difference between the two sides, giving Barcelona a slender victory in an evenly contested friendly.