On a night he will never forget, young Egyptian star Hamza Abdelkarim is set to write a new chapter in his Barcelona rise. He makes his Champions League debut against Feyenoord at the Spotify Camp Nou next Wednesday.
The 18-year-old has a date with an exceptional moment. He and midfielder Bryan Farinas, 20, are the only players in the first-team squad who have never featured in Europe's most prestigious club competition, and both will wear a special, newly introduced badge for the match.
This season's Champions League introduces the so-called "Debut Badge", a fresh commemorative initiative from UEFA in collaboration with UC3 and global company Topps to honour players making their first appearance in the competition.
The badge applies only when a player takes to the pitch for the first time, even off the bench, and slots into the famous Champions League starball logo on the shirt sleeve.
Registered in the European first list, Hamza will wear the distinctive badge against Feyenoord alongside Farinas, listed second as a youth academy player.
The story does not end there. Other Barcelona names could wear the same badge this season. Currently injured pair Jesse Bissiouo, registered in List A, and Ibrima Toncara have already taken part in UEFA's photo session and may get their chance later, along with academy graduates such as Jordi Bisker and goalkeepers Eder Aller and Iker Rodriguez if they are called up.
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What makes the badge priceless is what happens next. When a player features for the first time, the blue patch is removed from his match shirt and meticulously documented, then tightly sealed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. It is handed over to Topps, who incorporate it into a unique commemorative card signed by the player himself. That makes it a rare piece for collectors around the world, and a first card for Egyptian star Hamza Abdelkarim in the Champions League record.