Blackburn vs Barnsley

De Neve's two first-half assists from the left wing effectively decided the contest before half-time. The 3-0 scoreline was already beyond Barnsley's reach by the interval, and Rovers' second-half XI managed the game professionally without ever being seriously troubled.

Dion De Neve — Two assists from the left wing, both well-delivered crosses converted at the back post. The Belgian winger spoke afterwards of wanting to “step up” after a “mentally testing” debut season in England. “I want to be more important for the team. Create more than last year,” he told RoversTV. “I want to create chances, get assists, score goals. We have a new gaffer and everyone wants to impress him.”

Matty Litherland — The academy graduate scored the opener with a back-post header and told RoversTV he was “hungry for more” after an injury-hit 2025/26 campaign.

Axel Henriksson — Encouraging return from knee surgery, his first match minutes since January. Went close on a couple of occasions in the first half.

★ Player of the Match: Dion De Neve. His two assists were the decisive contributions on a day when Rovers rotated heavily.

The provider payload records three goals from Blackburn's first-half dominance. Balazs Toth's one point-blank save after a Barnsley corner was the visitors' only meaningful chance — a reminder of the defensive solidity across two entirely different back fours. Rovers kept a clean sheet without ever being seriously tested.

This was Rovers' second pre-season outing under Mowbray, who returned to the club in June 2026 after replacing Michael O'Neill (per BBC Sport). The one-sided nature of the result against a League One side suggests the squad is developing sharpness, though the caveat of a split-squad friendly applies. Rovers flew out to Portugal the following day for a training camp that includes a fixture against Nottingham Forest (22 July) and a behind-closed-doors match against Strasbourg.

Connor O'Riordan was not involved amid reported interest in his services (Lancashire Telegraph). Scott Wharton (thigh), Yuki Ohashi, Jake Garrett and Igor Tyjon were the other absentees. Several players who missed the Accrington game through illness returned.

Barnsley, preparing for the 2026/27 League One campaign, will step up the intensity of their own pre-season programme.

A professional, low-risk workout that served its purpose. De Neve's renewed confidence and the fitness returns of Henriksson and Litherland were the most encouraging takeaways for Rovers. The Portuguese test against Premier League opposition will tell Mowbray far more about where his squad stands.