Spanish media have made their feelings clear on Marcus Rashford after he was substituted 33 minutes after coming on in his Barcelona debut.
Rashford Impresses in Barcelona Debut Despite Limited Minutes
Marcus Rashford has officially joined La Liga champions Barcelona on loan from Manchester United for the remainder of the season. The Catalan giants hold an option to make the move permanent next summer for £30.3 million, should they be satisfied with his impact.
After finalizing the switch earlier in the week, the 27-year-old began training with his new teammates and traveled with the squad for their pre-season tour in Asia, which kicked off with a 3-1 victory over Japanese side Vissel Kobe.
Rashford started the match on the bench but came on at halftime to replace Raphinha on the left flank, as manager Hansi Flick made several changes. The England international made an immediate impact, contributing to Roony Bardghji’s first goal for the club. Rashford played a clever ball in behind to Robert Lewandowski in the build-up to the goal that gave Barça a 2-1 lead.
Surprisingly, Rashford was withdrawn after just over 30 minutes on the pitch. Flick explained in his post-match press conference that the club is carefully managing Rashford’s minutes. The forward had spent an extended period training alone after being sidelined at Manchester United and had only participated in three full sessions with his new team.
“He’s a week behind the others,” Flick said. “He hasn’t done much ball work, and we want to take care of him.”
Spanish Media React to Rashford’s First Outing
Despite limited time on the field, Rashford’s debut received praise from the Spanish press. Mundo Deportivo journalist Gabriel Sans noted that the Englishman impressed in his short spell, stating:
“Marcus Rashford only needed half an hour in his Barça debut against Vissel Kobe to prove he can fit into Hansi Flick’s system. He showed technical quality and elegant play, even though his dribbling was off. He didn’t score, but that wasn’t important. He met expectations.”
All signs point to a promising start for Rashford, who will now look to build fitness and chemistry ahead of the next match on Barcelona’s pre-season tour.
Spanish Media Praise Rashford’s All-Round Contribution in Debut
Mundo Deportivo’s Gabriel Sans highlighted several key aspects of Marcus Rashford’s performance, noting his attentiveness in tackles and defensive support — a focus area the Barcelona coaching staff is keen to develop.
Sans also emphasized that Rashford avoided selfish play, consistently looking to involve teammates in attacking moves, even if not every attempt was successful.
Meanwhile, MARCA journalist M. Carmen Torres echoed the praise, describing Rashford as “active, involved, and instrumental in key attacking moments.” He was applauded for demonstrating his trademark speed and intelligent movement to exploit space.
Torres even went as far as to label Rashford “the star of the second half,” following a standout first 45 minutes from Lamine Yamal at Misaki Park Stadium.
Barcelona are set to continue their pre-season preparations on Thursday with a friendly against FC Seoul in South Korea, where Rashford is expected to continue building rhythm and chemistry within the squad.
