Marcus Rashford Subbed Off After 33 Minutes in Barcelona Debut Days Post United Exit

In a 3-1 friendly victory over Vissel Kobe in Japan, Marcus Rashford made his Barcelona debut; however, his playing time was brief as he was replaced after just 33 minutes. After coming off the bench at halftime, the 27-year-old forward—who had joined the Catalan team on a season-long loan from Manchester United—had to leave the game soon after.

Early in the match, Barcelona established an early lead, but goals from Eric Garcia, Roony Bardghji, and Pedro Fernandez—a talented academy player—secured the victory for the team. After the Japanese side equalized with a goal from Taisei Miyashiro, Bardghji, who transferred to Barcelona from Copenhagen during the summer window, played a crucial role in regaining the lead with an important goal.

Barcelona’s renowned number 10 shirt, a symbol of greatness worn by legends like Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, was handed to 18-year-old prospect Lamine Yamal during an electrifying pregame moment. This act underscored the club’s dedication to nurturing young talent and boosting the confidence of its future stars.

“Marcus Rashford is a week behind the others,” said Barcelona manager Hansi Flick after the game, explaining Rashford’s limited playing time. He hasn’t been using the ball as much for training, and we want to take care of him. Flick emphasized the contest’s positive qualities by saying, “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.”

Flick also remarked on the opponents’ performance, saying, “What they do with the ball, how they pressed us, it’s really interesting. They seem to have a well-defined concept that is comparable to ours. Rashford and his new teammates had a positive start to the game, laying the groundwork for what they hope will be a successful season. Marcus Rashford move to Barcelona marks an exciting new chapter in his career and gives the team a new offensive option, even though he was substituted early.