Marcus Rashford, currently on loan to Barcelona from Manchester United, celebrated his first trophy win with the Catalan club on Sunday evening. However, the English striker's brief 15-minute stint in the final and the emergence of a team-mate could potentially impact his future playing time.
Rashford's Barcelona faced off against their fierce rivals, Real Madrid, in the Super Cup final held in Jeddah. The deadlock was broken by star player Raphinha in the 36th minute, only for Vinicius Junior to equalise shortly after. Robert Lewandowski quickly put Barcelona back in the lead before half-time, but an exhilarating end to the first half saw Gonzalo Garcia equalise for Los Blancos with the third goal in added time.
The victory for Barcelona was ultimately sealed by former Leeds winger Raphinha, who scored his second and Barcelona's third goal in the 73rd minute. Rashford replaced the Man of the Match in the 83rd minute but squandered a golden opportunity during stoppage time following Frenkie de Jong's dismissal.
Spanish media were swift to criticise Rashford for his missed chance, but it was undoubtedly Raphinha who stole the show, much like he did during their 5-0 semi-final victory. This could spell trouble for Rashford as he competes for playing time with the 29-year-old under the management of Hansi Flick.
The Spanish press couldn't heap enough praise on the Brazilian star.
Marca
Rashford's involvement in the final was limited to approximately 15 minutes, with Raphinha occupying his customary left-wing berth from the opening whistle. Upon his introduction, the Manchester United forward was presented with a one-on-one opportunity in the fifth minute of added time but failed to capitalise.
Marca's post-match verdict on Rashford was uncompromising: "He came on in the 83rd minute. He had a clear chance in stoppage time but sent the ball wide."
The Spanish outlet was considerably more effusive in their appraisal of match-winner Raphinha, depicting him as the catalyst behind the side, hinting that the Englishman's tenure on the left flank may be under threat. They added: "Raphinha's brace, yet another one, turned the Clasico on its head, securing the Super Cup.
"It happened last season. Raphinha, who's on his way to becoming Real Madrid's nemesis, is the true leader of Hansi Flick's Barcelona. His impact on this team has been analysed since his absence when he was injured at the end of September. Barça played nine matches without him, winning only five."
Mundo Deportivo
The spurned opportunity also featured prominently in Mundo Deportivo's evaluation of Rashford, with their analysis proving even more scathing. They remarked: "He missed a golden opportunity in stoppage time after a crucial defensive play. Then he lost focus on the subsequent defensive support, and Madrid almost equalised."
However, Raphinha, whom Rashford stood in for earlier this season during a thigh complaint, garnered particular acclaim from Mundo Deportivo. The publication even suggested that he might currently be the world's top player.
They penned: "Raphinha is undoubtedly the player in the best form in the world right now. He's absolutely decisive, his competitive spirit is contagious and he makes all the difference."
AS
Once again, AS spotlighted Rashford's wasted stoppage-time opportunity, as this seemed to be his only significant moment during the brief time Flick gave him. They noted: "He had the chance to kill the game, with a one-on-one with Courtois, inexplicably sending the ball wide."
They also chose to laud Raphinha for pulling his team over the finish line and observed that, despite missing a similar opportunity to Rashford's, he immediately compensated for it in the following attack.
"A true superstar," they proclaimed. "This Super Cup is practically Raphinha's after scoring four goals and providing an assist in two matches. In the final, after missing a clear-cut chance from Lamine, he quickly redeemed himself by scoring a fantastic goal in the very next play."
Sport
Sport took a more lenient view of Rashford's brief appearance, choosing instead to commend his late runs, which offered Barcelona some relief as their opponents sought an equaliser. They remarked: "He helped the team gain some breathing room with his runs."
However, the consensus among major Spanish media outlets was clear: "Raphinha stole the show. They lauded him as one of the world's finest and even suggested his performance merited a Ballon d'Or."
Raphinha appears to be carving out an irreplaceable role at Barcelona, which could potentially limit Rashford's time on the left wing. For example, in their match against Athletic Club, Rashford was substituted in as early as the 65th minute.
Sport praised Raphinha's performance, stating: "When the match seemed destined for penalties, he made it 3-2 for the Blaugrana, putting their biggest rivals on the ropes," and added, "A bit of luck, too. A fantastic performance, whether some like it or not, worthy of a Ballon d'Or."