Marcus Rashford had a mixed day as Barcelona took on local rivals Espanyol on Saturday
Barcelona's English forward #14 Marcus Rashford challenges Espanyol's Serbian goalkeeper #13 Marko Dmitrovic next to Espanyol's Spanish defender #05 Fernando Calero during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 11 , 2026. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP via Getty Images)
Marcus Rashford missed a golden chance before scoring a late goal for Barcelona(Image: JOSEP LAGO, AFP via Getty Images)
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Barcelona picked up three more points on Saturday to edge closer to the Spanish title, though it proved to be a day of mixed emotions for Marcus Rashford. The Manchester United loanee spurned a gilt-edged opportunity to put his side 3-1 ahead midway through the second half, before making no mistake late on with a volley from a Frenkie de Jong cross.
Rashford's strike rounded off a 4-1 triumph for Hansi Flick's men. It came as title rivals Real Madrid continued to flounder, leaving Barca nine points clear at the summit with time running out for Madrid to chase them down.
While some sections of the Spanish press felt compelled to highlight Rashford's wasteful miss, the England international also received due credit for converting the more difficult of his two opportunities. It was his 12th goal of the campaign and only his second since returning from a brief injury lay-off in February.
Barcelona return to action in midweek as they seek an unlikely turnaround against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Rashford could have a significant role to play there too. Here's what the media made of his latest contribution.
Mundo Deportivo
Mundo Deportivo described Rashford as 'persistent' in their one-word introductions to their player ratings. There was recognition for how he responded to the initial disappointment, when he took too long to get a shot away and was thwarted by Espanyol keeper Marko Dimitrovic.
"He missed his first chance, but he kept working, helping in defence with his speed and the reward for his solidarity was the pass from De Jong that he converted into the final 4-1," they wrote.
The same publication also highlighted the fact that the miss from Rashford meant Barca couldn't relax until Lamine Yamal netted their third in the dying stages. However, they said the Englishman "redeemed himself" with the volley.
Football Espana
Rashford received a 6.5/10 rating from Football Espana, matching fellow substitute De Jong. "Missed a sitter to make it 3-1, but made up for it in the closing stages with a fine volley," they wrote.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 11: Marcus Rashford of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal with his teammate Lamine Yamal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona at Spotify Camp Nou on April 11, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)
Rashford eventually got his goal as the clock ticked towards 90(Image: Pedro Salado, Getty Images)
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Ferran Torres bagged a brace for the hosts in their 4-1 victory but it was team-mate Lamine Yamal who captured the headlines. "Barcelona's golden boy does it again," they wrote, handing the youngster a score of 9/10.
"He created Ferran's two goals, before scoring his own late on to make it 3-1. Atleti will be scared if he replicates this performance at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano."
Sport
Sport adopted a slightly different approach, deciding they didn't even need to linger on the miss. Awarding Rashford a 7/10 for his contribution from the bench, the goal was the only aspect they felt warranted a mention.
"He scored the fourth goal of the game after a magnificent pass from Frenkie de Jong, finishing the move with a truly world-class finish," they wrote. "With barely any angle, he delicately placed the ball with the inside of his foot, curling a perfect cross-shot across goal."
His late strike was merely a footnote in Sport's more in-depth match report, though. Instead, attention was drawn to Flick's reluctance to rotate his squad as the German boss eyed momentum ahead of the Atleti return leg, and it remains to be seen whether the loanee earns a starting berth.
AS
Even while acknowledging Rashford's late goal, AS highlighted his earlier miss from an "incredible" opportunity. The publication reflected on Flick's hesitancy to make changes, while remaining cautiously optimistic ahead of the Atleti clash despite a 2-0 home defeat in the first leg.
"The gamble on Ferran Torres paid off perfectly; the Canary Islander's lack of match fitness is still worrying. And Gavi's inclusion in the starting lineup showed that the Andalusian has returned like a beast," they wrote.
"He changed the team's dynamic ahead of a Champions League match that won't be won with football alone, but with character. And Gavi proved yesterday that he has more than enough."
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