‘Rashford Has Arrived’: Fans and Pundits React to Barcelona Star’s Two-Goal Display vs Newcastle

Marcus Rashford scored his first two goals for Barcelona as part of a dominant display in Thursday’s 2-1 Champions League win away to Newcastle.

Rashford — who joined Barca in July on a season-long loan deal that includes a £26 million buy option — broke the deadlock at St James’ Park with a thumping header just before the hour mark.

Less than 10 minutes later he doubled his tally, dribbling past Sandro Tonali before rifling a stunning shot into the top corner from outside the penalty area.

Anthony Gordon pulled one back late on for the hosts, but the night belonged to the England forward, who was given a standing ovation from the travelling Barcelona fans when he was subbed off.

Marcus Rashford’s stats vs Newcastle

Beyond his two goals, Rashford was heavily involved throughout his 81 minutes on the pitch. He registered 64 touches and attempted 38 passes, two of which were key passes, at a 76.3% completion rate.

The forward produced six shots, with two on target, while also making a defensive contribution with one tackle and three clearances. He committed one foul and was fouled once himself.

It was a complete performance that showcased both sides of his game — the ruthless finishing in attack and the willingness to track back when needed.

His numbers even caught the attention of stats expert Opta Joe, who tweeted: “Marcus Rashford ranked first or joint first for Barcelona for shots (6), touches in the opposition box (10), dribbles (5) and possession won (6) tonight – he was the first Barca player to produce those numbers in a #UCL match since Lionel Messi back in 2015. Flourishing.”

Pundits praise Rashford after first Barcelona goals

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt was among the first to hail Rashford’s performance. Speaking on Match of the Day, he said: “Marcus showed what a top, top player he is. We forgot about his talent at Manchester United, but he showed he is a real top talent and back to the old Marcus.

“His work-rate was very positive. The header was amazing and the strike for the second goal was unbelievable. Ruben Amorim will be thinking ‘what have I done, I’ve let that go’ when Manchester United are struggling. He needs an arm around him — and when he has that, he shows what he can do.”

Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague told BBC 5 Live that Barca’s staff see Rashford differently from those at United.

Balague explained: “Barcelona coaches had seen a shy guy, someone it was difficult to get through to. But Hansi Flick has seen his quality. The interesting thing is they see him more as a nine. On the left he can forget his defensive duties, but as a striker they believe he can flourish.”

Meanwhile, Barcelona boss Hansi Flick said: “We always see this from Rashford in training and we saw it here. These two goals will help a lot to get Marcus to the next step. It’s so important he has the confidence. I’m happy to have him — he gives us more options.”

Fan reaction

Fans online were just as excitable. One declared: “Rashford has arrived! What a strike!” Another user echoed: “Dread it, run from it, Rashford arrives.”

A third tweet read: “The biggest misunderstanding in football is mixing bad form with being a bad player. Rashford was never a bad player — now he looks back to his best.”

Fan account United Radar added: “United loanee Marcus Rashford smashed two world-class goals for Barcelona. We are clearly the problem.”

What did Rashford say himself?

The man of the moment was understandably delighted, telling TNT Sports that playing for Barcelona is an “amazing experience.”

Rashford added: “I’ve always been a huge admirer of Barcelona. We want to win as much as possible.

“The first half was cagey, but I felt there was a gap [for the second goal]. I thought try to get a shot off. I knew when I caught it that it would take the keeper some going to stop it.

“I’m full of excitement. Very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team excites me. It’s so refreshing to play with these players.”

Rashford also reserved praise for his new coach, saying: “Hansi Flick is a top coach, a top man manager.”

On his ambitions for Barca this season, Rashford declared: “It’s only to win the Champions League — nothing else is on our minds.”

Barca are currently rated as 6/1 joint-favourites — alongside Liverpool and Arsenal — in the outright Champions League betting market.

Next up for Barca in Europe is a home fixture against Champions League holders PSG on October 1.

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