Marcus Rashford’s time at Barcelona hit a rough patch recently, with Spanish media criticism following the club’s latest win.
Marcus Rashford had been making the most of his loan spell at Barcelona, taking advantage of starting opportunities to show what he could do.
With several players returning from injury, Rashford has found himself back on the bench and now needs to make an impact with limited playing time.
He had shown a good attitude in recent appearances, which earned him a place in the starting line-up for Hansi Flick’s latest game. But it was not a performance that lived up to expectations.
Marcus Rashford falls short despite rare start
Hansi Flick gave Rashford a big opportunity by starting him on the left wing in the Catalunya derby against Espanyol, a show of faith that came at the expense of Dani Olmo, Fermin, and Robert Lewandowski.
But Rashford’s night did not last long. He was substituted at half-time for Fermin Lopez, who went on to assist both goals in Barcelona’s 2-0 win.
Rashford did create one chance during his time on the pitch, but that was about it. He did not complete a dribble or connect any long balls, and he offered little defensively.
It was a performance reminiscent of his later days at Manchester United, where he often struggled to influence games. He won just one of his six duels before being taken off.
The Spanish press have generally been supportive of Rashford during his loan spell, but this display against Espanyol drew plenty of criticism from local media outlets.
Rashford slammed by Spanish media after Espanyol derby
The Spanish media have always shown plenty of interest in Rashford, thanks in large part to the attention his ties to Manchester United bring.
Most of that attention had been positive, which was fair given how well he has played in recent games.
But the derby against Espanyol is a fixture that matters deeply to Barcelona fans, and a poor showing was always going to get noticed. Rashford’s performance did just that.
Mundo Deportivo did not hold back, labelling him “not focused” and “offline,” and noting there were “inaccuracies and errors even in clearances.”
They also described it as a “disappointing first half from Rashford” that led Flick to make an early change.
Marca went further by questioning why Rashford started at all, publishing a headline: “It hurts to see Fermin on the bench.” The article praised the Spanish midfielder for his impact after coming on at half-time.
AS did not sugarcoat their view either, calling Rashford a “constant source of turnovers” who contributed little beyond keeping play moving.
SPORT took a more subdued tone, saying it simply was not his day as he struggled with or without the ball.
After this fixture, Rashford might need to earn his place back in the starting XI. This is because Flick will reward outstanding performers from this game in the next match, which is in the Supercopa de España against Athletic.
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