SOLNA, Sweden — Barcelona thumped English Premier League champion Leicester City 4-2 in a pre-season friendly in Sweden Wednesday but Claudio Ranieri’s side was 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 champion exposed the Foxes’ defense.
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.
Real downs Bayern
In East Rutherford, United States, Bayern Munich finished its tour of the US with a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid after a stunning Danilo strike sealed the European champion’s friendly victory in New Jersey.
In front of 82,012 fans at the MetLife-Stadium, the home of NFL sides the New York Jets and New York Giants, full-back Danilo hit the winning goal from 20 yards out Wednesday, which beat Bayern’s second string goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
The German champion was missing France winger Franck Ribery with a minor knock, but held Zinedine Zidane’s Real for long periods before Danilo’s winner 11 minutes from time.
Ibra makes Old Trafford bow
The two clubs of Wayne Rooney’s professional career played out a 0-0 draw in his testimonial game at Old Trafford Wednesday as Jose Mourinho managed Manchester United for the first time at its home stadium.
The low-key meeting with Everton was a predictable pre-season affair, with Mourinho using 22 players in preparation for the season ahead, although an occasion which the United and England captain will doubtless long remember.
The Old Trafford crowd greeted Rooney’s every touch with due respect but it was the first sighting on English soil of new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a United shirt that electrified the home crowd.
On 25 minutes, the Swede, who scored within three minutes of his friendly debut against Galatasary in Gothenburg Saturday, received a through ball from Rooney and saw his shot parried by Maarten Stekelenburg in the Everton goal.
Rooney had been positioned in the No. 10 role, the middle of a three-man midfield line behind lone striker Ibrahimovic, and there were fleeting moments that hinted the pairing could be a success.
Chelsea thumps Milan
In Los Angeles, Oscar scored a second-half double as Chelsea cruised past AC Milan 3-1 in its final International Champions Cup game on its pre-season tour to the United States.
The Brazilian scored in the 70th and 87th minutes Wednesday for Chelsea, which rebounded from a 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in its previous outing in the friendly competition Saturday.
Oscar first placed a penalty into the top corner after a Milan handball and then hammered a low drive into the bottom corner.
French international N’Golo Kante made his debut for Chelsea after his 32 million pounds ($42.5 million) move from English Premier League champion Leicester, coming on as a substitute in the second half.
Bertrand Traore opened the scoring for Chelsea in the first half when he headed home from close range. Giancomo Bonaventura scored the only goal for Milan with a perfectly placed curving free-kick in the 38th minute.
The English Premier League season begins on Aug. 13.
