Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford was on the losing side of his first El Clasico as a Barcelona player.
An action-packed La Liga clash saw Barcelona lose 2-1 to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu and Marcus Rashford played the entire 90 minutes of his first El Clasico.
Rashford assisted Fermin Lopez for Barcelona’s only goal, but Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe ensured that Madrid claimed bragging rights.
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It means the Carrington graduate now has five goals and seven assists in his first 13 appearances for Barcelona.
However, he had an afternoon to forget in his first showdown with Barcelona’s biggest rivals.
Real Madrid C.f. V Fc Barcelona - Laliga Ea Sports
Photo By Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images
Rashford has been playing up front for Barcelona despite struggling in a central role at United, but he started the El Clasico showdown on the left before eventually moving back into a striker role.
As per SofaScore, Rashford earned a 6.8 rating out of 10, but the best performer on the pitch was goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, which paints a picture of how the game went.
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Spanish media did not hold back on Rashford’s performance, with outlet Mundo Deportivo summing it up in one word – “Baffling”.
“His smart assist to Fermin for 1-1 didn’t fix a match in which he seemed capable of creating more danger than he did when he received the ball. He didn’t make the most of his power when he had space. As a number 9, he was worse than as a winger.”
AS offered more positivity about Rashford’s display, writing: “The Englishman had a good performance in his first Clasico. He set up Fermin to equalise and worked hard in the pressing. He ended up playing as a centre forward.”
Marcus Rashford pushing for Barcelona move
When the loan move was agreed this summer, United attached a £26m buy option for Rashford which Barcelona can choose to trigger in 2026.
However, Barcelona’s financial troubles have put a permanent deal at risk as they may struggle to afford his fee or wages.
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Do you want Marcus Rashford to return to Manchester United next summer?
Rashford wants to stay at Barcelona, having told Gary Lineker he can see himself at the club for years.
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Recently, Rashford criticised United’s environment, blaming it for his inconsistency. However, if he cannot stay consistent in Catalan then he could be sent back to Old Trafford this summer.
Barcelona now find themselves five points behind Real Madrid in the race for the La Liga title. If Rashford can help close the gap, he could earn himself that permanent move he so desperately wants.