Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, known to Barcelona fans simply as Abde, joined the Catalan club in 2021 at the age of 19, transferring from Spanish side Hércules Alicante. He was seen as a promising winger with attacking potential. Shortly after arriving, despite initially being registered with the youth squad, Abde made his La Liga debut and even started in several matches.
However, just one year later, Barcelona sent him on loan to Osasuna, and he did not play again for the Blaugrana first team. The next chapter in his career was a transfer to Real Betis. During his short spell at Barcelona, Abde managed to score only one goal — on December 12, 2021, in a league match against Osasuna in Pamplona that ended in a 2-2 draw.
That goal would remain his first and only for Barcelona. Early in the second half, Abde put his team ahead 1-2, but the hosts equalized in the final minutes. The match was tough for Barça; just days earlier, the team had been eliminated from the Champions League group stage and was 8th in La Liga, 18 points behind the leaders.
In the Mundo Deportivo match report, journalist Jordi Batalla described how Abde "volleyed a cross from Dembélé that the Osasuna defense had slightly deflected." In the player analysis, Abde was named Barcelona's best player in that game: "He came on as a left winger and became a nightmare for Osasuna's defense. Along with young talents Gavi and Nico, who also shone, the Moroccan winger stole the spotlight." Barcelona's coach, Xavi Hernández, said after the match that Abde was "like a dagger," tormenting defenders and forcing a yellow card on Nacho Vidal.
After the game, Abde commented, "I'm happy about the goal but sad about the result because we deserved to win. I hope it will be the first of many. We must keep working, put on our work overalls, and grind." He also dedicated his goal to the medical staff, physiotherapists, kit managers, everyone supporting the team daily, and to his family.
Although Abde's Barcelona tenure was brief and he left after just one season, that solitary goal remains a tangible reminder of his connection to one of the world's biggest clubs. While his future lies elsewhere, his contribution to Barcelona's history holds a place in supporters' memories.
