Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United, celebrated winning his first trophy with the Catalan club on Sunday night. However, the English striker’s short 15-minute appearance in the final and the appearance of his team-mates could have an impact on his future playing time.
Rashford’s Barcelona faced rivals Real Madrid in the Super Cup final in Jeddah. Star player Rafinha broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, but Vinicius Junior equalized moments later. Robert Lewandowski’s goal quickly put Barcelona in the lead just before half-time, but an exhilarating first half saw Gonzalo García score the Whites’ third in stoppage time to equalize for the Whites.
In the end, Barcelona’s victory was sealed when former Leeds winger Rafinha scored his second goal and Barcelona’s third in the 73rd minute. Rashford was replaced as man of the match in the 83rd minute but missed a great opportunity in stoppage time following Frenkie de Jong’s red card.
Spanish media were quick to criticize Rashford for the missed opportunity, but it was undoubtedly Rafinha who stole the show, just as he did in the 5-0 win in the semi-final. This could spell trouble for Rashford as he competes for playing time with the 29-year-old under manager Hansi Flick.
The Spanish press could not praise the Brazilian star enough.
marca
Rashford was limited to around 15 minutes in the final, while Raphinha took up his customary position on the left from the moment the first whistle blew. Immediately after his introduction, the Manchester United forward had a one-on-one chance five minutes into stoppage time, but he was unable to capitalize.
Marca’s post-match verdict on Rashford was uncompromising. “He came on in the 83rd minute. We had a clear chance in stoppage time, but the ball went wide.”
Spanish newspapers have been quite glowing with Rafinha, painting him as a catalyst at the back of the team and hinting that the Englishman’s tenure on the left-wing may be under threat. He added: “Rafinha’s extra goal turned the Clasico around and clinched the Super Cup victory.
“That happened last season. Rafinha, who is on the verge of becoming Real Madrid’s nemesis, is a true leader for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side. His influence on this team is being analyzed since he was sidelined with an injury at the end of September. Barça played nine games without Rafinha and won just five.”
Mundo Deportivo
The missed chances featured prominently in Mundo Deportivo’s assessment of Rashford, and that analysis proved to be even more scathing. They said, “He missed a golden chance in stoppage time after an important defensive play. He then lost focus on his subsequent defensive support and Madrid almost equalized.”
However, Raphinha, who replaced Rashford when he complained of thigh pain earlier this season, was particularly highly rated by Mundo Deportivo. This publication even suggested that he might be currently the top player in the world.
They wrote: “Raphinha is arguably the best-formed player in the world at the moment. He is absolutely decisive and his competitive spirit is contagious and makes all the difference.”
as
AS once again put the spotlight on Rashford’s wasted stoppage-time chance, which appeared to be the only significant moment in the short amount of time given to Flick. They wrote: “He had a chance to end the match one-on-one with Courtois, but inexplicably sent the ball wide.”
They also praised Raphinha for pulling his team to the goal line, observing that despite missing a similar chance to Rashford, he quickly made up for it with the next attack.
“A true superstar,” they declared. “This Super Cup belongs to Rafinha, who scored four goals and one assist in two games. In the final, after missing a clear chance from Lamine, he quickly redeemed himself with a great goal in the next play.”
sports
Sport were more lenient with Rashford’s brief appearance, choosing instead to celebrate his late goal, giving Barcelona some relief as their opponents looked to equalize. They said, “He helped give the team some breathing room with his running.”
But the consensus of Spain’s mainstream media was clear: “Rafinha stole the show. They hailed him as one of the best players in the world and even suggested that his performance was worthy of the Ballon d’Or.”
Raphinha appears to have an irreplaceable role at Barcelona, which could limit Rashford’s minutes on the left. For example, in the match against Athletic Club, Rashford was substituted as early as the 65th minute.
Sport praised Rafinha’s performance, saying: “Just when it looked like the game was going to go to penalties, he made it 3-2 for the Blaugrana and put their biggest rivals in trouble,” adding: “There was also a bit of luck. Like it or not, it was a great performance that deserves the Ballon d’Or.”
