A Spanish newspaper: an intriguing detail sets Hamza Abdelkarim apart from Barcelona's stars

What is the secret behind the Egyptian player's behaviour?

Hamza Abdelkarim renewed his contract with Barcelona this week, improving his terms and pushing the release clause up to 150 million euros.

Barcelona's top scorer through pre-season keeps his registration with the reserve team, yet he trains daily with the first team at the sporting city and has been fully absorbed into their rhythm.

Spanish newspaper "Sport" describe the player's case as a unique one. He is the only member of the first-team squad who leaves the Catalan club's facilities on foot.

The rest of the players arrive and leave in their own cars. Not the Egyptian. He walks out through the gate nearest the "Tito Vilanova" training pitch, crosses the street and heads to his residence, one of the apartments the club provides for its young players once they reach the age of majority and finish their stay at "La Masia".

Living in Sant Joan Despí, Hamza Abdelkarim has grown used to posing for souvenir photos with the fans who linger near Barcelona's facilities hoping to meet their stars. He turns none of them down.

His new life, away from the team's travels, asks little of him in the way of long journeys.