Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford spoke after he was only afforded 33 minutes during his debut for Barcelona.
Rashford joins Barcelona on loan
Rashford sealed a loan move to Barcelona last week after an extensive period of speculation regarding his club future.
It was made crystal clear that Rashford did not have a future at United while Ruben Amorim remains in charge of the team. The forward was linked to several clubs both in England and abroad but he and his representatives let it be known that they had their eye on the Blaugrana.
Barcelona finally made their move and snapped up Rashford for the 2025/26 season. The reigning La Liga champions will cover Rashford’s entire wages.
Barca will also have the option of making Rashford’s stay a permanent one for £26m.
After training with his new teammates, the Carrington academy graduate made his debut on Sunday, enjoying a 33-minute cameo as Barcelona beat Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe 3-1 at Misaki Park Stadium.
Rashford was brought on at half-time and lasted until the 78th minute when he was withdrawn and replaced by Gerard Martin.
After the final whistle, the England international gave his verdict on his debut for Barcelona.
Rashford speaks after first appearance for Barcelona
Rashford said [as quoted by Express], “I feel very good, a good performance, and it was truly wonderful to play in front of the fans, and it was also beneficial in terms of physical fitness.”
“I’m looking forward to the upcoming matches. I know we managed to win the match today, but it’s very important to adapt to the team, get into the playing style, and deliver good football.”
“I think we did well, both the first half and second half. It’s always tough in matches like these when the team changes between halves, but I think we performed well.”
Asked to name his preferred position considering the stiff competition for places at Barcelona, Rashford answered, “I believe Hansi Flick can make me play good football. I play where the team needs me and try to score goals and create them from those positions.”
“I’ll listen to any information I need to hear from Flick and I’ll try to apply it in the match and help the team move forward.”
“The atmosphere was amazing. We don’t always get the chance to play in these stadiums, and now that we’re here in Japan, it’s great to play in front of these fans. My favourite position? Maybe I prefer the left side, but I can play in different positions – one of my strengths is being able to play in various positions.”
Flick also revealed why Rashford was taken off so early.
Flick on reason behind Rashford’s substitution
Flick remarked [as quoted by GOAL], “He’s [Rashford] a week behind the others. He hasn’t been training as much with the ball, and we want to look after him.”
“It was a very good match, a good test for us. The first 30 minutes were fantastic. After that we lost a bit of control, but the second half was also very good. I’m pleased.”
“What they do with the ball, how they pressed us, it’s really interesting. You can tell they have a clear idea, and it’s similar to ours.”
Barcelona return to pre-season action on Thursday when they take on FC Seoul. The meeting will see Rashford reunite with former United teammate and close friend Jesse Lingard.
Featured image Paul Miller via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
