Marcus Rashford became the first Barcelona player to grace the renovated Camp Nou, but his move to Paris Saint-Germain has reportedly fallen through. The 28-year-old came on for midfielder Marc Bernal just after half-time. Despite the on-loan Manchester United ace failing to find the back of the net, the Catalan giants secured a 3-1 victory over Alaves, establishing a two-goal advantage over rivals Real Madrid in the summit clash.
This was his 13th league appearance and his fourth appearance from the bench. Rashford later described the night as a “special night” in an Instagram post. The winger uploaded a snap from the match and wrote: “It’s my first time playing for the Blaugrana at the Spotify Camp Nou. It’s a special night for me.”
Rashford revived his career at Barcelona after being ousted by United manager Ruben Amorim. The Spanish hotshot has a permanent option for as little as £26m (€30m). Rashford’s performances are said to have sparked interest from PSG, with journalist Ben Jacobs revealing that the French giants are expected to target the versatile forward next year.
Despite this, Jacobs later clarified that a Rashford transfer is “unlikely at this stage”, citing sources. The England international has flourished in Catalonia, boasting six goals and nine assists in 18 appearances, a statistic that establishes him as the best creator across Europe’s elite division. Meanwhile, Barça manager Hansi Flick has already expressed his thoughts on the England squad. He said: “I’ve followed him his whole career and I’ve been impressed with his quality and his play in the box in front of the opposition goal.”
“He showed it at Barcelona. I’m happy for him. I know he can play at this level and he showed it. He’s an important player.”
“He is a player with great talent and an incredible ability to finish off attacks, which we have seen in training. We needed a player with these qualities.” Rashford remains a strong candidate for Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for next summer’s World Cup.
