Tag: Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford scored his first goals for Barcelona as the England forward’s brilliant brace inspired a 2-1 win against Newcastle in the Champions League on Thursday.

Rashford struck twice in the space of nine minutes in the second half at St James’ Park to make a memorable return to England following his loan move from Manchester United in July.

The 27-year-old’s first goals in the Champions League since 2021 will have made for painful viewing for United fans, whose team have no European football this season and are already mired in a dismal start to the Premier League campaign.

Anthony Gordon got one back for Newcastle in the closing stages, but it was too late to salvage a point in their Champions League group phase opener.

Rashford fell out of favour with United boss Ruben Amorim last season and was sent on loan to Aston Villa in the second half of the campaign before being exiled to Barcelona for the whole of this term.

Once feted as the future of English football after emerging from United’s youth academy as a precocious teenager, Rashford’s career has dipped badly in recent years amid claims he is no longer focused on his career.

But Rashford’s vibrant performance on Tyneside suggested he could be about to embark on a long-awaited renaissance with Barcelona.

“It’s an amazing experience playing for Barcelona. I’ve always been a huge admirer of the club. We just want to win as much as possible,” Rashford said.

“I’m full of excitement. I’m very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team excites me.

“It’s so refreshing to play with these players. It’s a new way of football, but I’m enjoying it all and it’s making me a better player.”

Off to a solid start in La Liga with three wins from four games, Barcelona were without Spain forward Lamine Yamal, who was sidelined for Sunday’s 6-0 victory against Valencia with a groin injury.

But Rashford’s double ensured Yamal wasn’t missed by Hansi Flick’s team.

“I’m happy for Marcus. We have a lot of good players and he’s one,” Flick said.

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“These two goals will help a lot to get Marcus to the next step. It’s so important he has the confidence and feels OK. These goals are unbelievable for him for the next steps.”

Beaten by Inter Milan in last season’s Champions League semi-finals, Barcelona haven’t reached the final since they last lifted the trophy in 2015.

But the five-time European champions are expected to be among the leading contenders this season, and this was a strong start to their challenge.

The defeat punctured Newcastle’s hopes of making a strong start on their return to the Champions League after they failed to make it out of the group stage in 2023-24.

“It was a good performance, but these nights are only magical for us if we win,” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said.

“The chances were there in the first half. Against teams like this you won’t get many. We got punished.”

Newcastle enjoyed one of the greatest nights in their history when Faustino Asprilla’s hat-trick inspired a 3-2 Champions League group stage win against Barcelona in September 1997.

Almost 28 years to the day since that remarkable evening at St James’ Park, Asprilla jetted in from Colombia to watch Newcastle’s first clash with Barcelona since 2003, but it was Rashford who stole the spotlight.

Barcelona were far more effective after the interval and took the lead in the 58th minute.

Jules Kounde whipped his cross into the area, and Rashford easily eluded Fabian Schar to bury a powerful header past Newcastle keeper Nick Pope from 12 yards.

Rashford doubled Barcelona’s advantage in the 67th minute in stunning style.

Taking possession 25 yards from goal, Rashford glided past Sandro Tonali and unleashed a fierce strike that left Pope grasping at thin air as it flashed into the top corner.

Gordon set up a tense finale when he met Jacob Murphy’s low cross with a clinical close-range finish in the 90th minute, but Barcelona held firm.

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Spanish champions Barcelona loaned Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford on Wednesday with a future purchase option.

“Barcelona and Manchester United have reached a deal for the loan of the player Marcus Rashford until June 30, 2026,” announced the La Liga champions in a statement.

“The agreement also establishes an option to buy the English forward.”

Barcelona are paying around 75 percent of Rashford’s £325,000-a-week wage ($435,000) while he is at the club, with the player foregoing the rest, according to Spanish reports.

The 27-year-old England international was out of favour under Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim and spent the final months of the 2024/25 season on loan at Aston Villa.

Rashford, who made his United debut in 2015, became an outcast at Old Trafford, with Amorim publicly doubting his commitment and desire.

In May, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Marcus Rashford and Liverpool winger Luis Diaz were “fantastic players” amid transfer links to both, with the club keen to reinforce on the left flank.

Last season, the Catalans were irresistible in attack, winning a domestic treble, but had little in the way of back-up for key wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.

Rashford could also offer cover for veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who turns 37 in August.

Barcelona had hoped to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams to play on the left wing, but the Spaniard signed a new deal at the San Mames.

Rashford, who came through Manchester United’s academy, last played for the Premier League club in December, scoring 138 goals in 426 appearances for the Red Devils.

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At Aston Villa, he managed four goals in 17 games before a hamstring injury cut his season short in April.

Rashford was criticised by former Manchester United great Teddy Sheringham after trying to make the Barcelona switch happen in recent weeks.

“From my perspective, if you go from Manchester United to Barcelona, that’s a step up that he hasn’t deserved,” Sheringham told SkyBet.

Manchester United plan to sign several more players this summer, including Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Alejandro Garnacho.

Barcelona had trouble registering signings last season with La Liga, including midfielder Dani Olmo, and, according to reports, may need to find ways to balance the books before registering Rashford and their first summer arrival, goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Few British players have joined Barcelona since the 1980s, when Gary Lineker, Steve Archibald, and Mark Hughes all played for the club.

Current Bristol City midfielder Marcus McGuane signed for Barcelona’s reserve team in 2018, making one appearance for the first team as a substitute in the Catalan Super Cup before leaving in 2019 on loan to Telstar and eventually joining Nottingham Forest.

In the summer of 2019, Louie Barry moved to Barca’s youth academy from West Bromwich Albion but departed for Aston Villa in January 2020.

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Aston Villa signed Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United for the rest of the season on Sunday to end the England international’s exile under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

Once a hero for the United fans, Rashford has not featured for his boyhood club since December 12 and admitted earlier this season he was ready for a “new challenge”.

The 27-year-old had been linked with a move to AC Milan and Barcelona, but the European giants were put off by his reported £300,000-a-week ($372,000) wages.

According to Sky Sports, Villa will pick up at least 75 percent of that pay packet for the coming months, rising to 90 percent depending on performance-related bonuses and have an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season for £40 million.

“I was lucky to have a few clubs approach me but Aston Villa was an easy decision – I really admire the way that Aston Villa have been playing this season, and the manager’s ambitions,” said Rashford in a Villa statement.

“I just want to play football and am excited to get started. I wish everyone at Manchester United all the best for the rest of the season.”

Villa moved to bolster their attacking options after selling Colombia striker Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr on Friday for a reported £64 million.

Unai Emery’s men have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League and still have aspirations to qualify for that tournament again next season.

Villa sit eighth in the Premier League, eight points above 13th-placed United.

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Marcus Rashford scored 138 goals in 426 appearances since coming through the ranks at Old Trafford and has lifted the Europa League, two FA Cups and two League Cups as a Manchester United player.

However, his attitude and work ethic in training has been questioned by Amorim, since he took charge in November.

After last weekend’s 1-0 win at Fulham, the Portuguese coach sensationally claimed he would rather put the club’s 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, in the squad than Rashford.

“Our team should be so much better with Rashford, but he has to change,” Amorim said last week. “If he does change, we are more than welcome to put a talent like Rashford in, and we need it.”

“But in this moment I think it’s really clear that we have to set some standards. That’s all.”

A temporary switch to Aston Villa allows Rashford a fresh start to rehabilitate his tarnished reputation after his astonishing fall from grace.

He was part of England’s World Cup squad just over two years ago and scored a career-best 30 goals in the 2022/23 campaign.

But he netted just eight times last season and has seven in 24 appearances so far this campaign.

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