Gary Lineker has given his verdict on Marcus Rashford’s debut for Barcelona in La Liga, with the Manchester United forward on loan in Spain.
Rashford joined Barcelona this summer after a successful loan spell at Aston Villa, opting for game time away from Manchester United following a fallout with Ruben Amorim.
The English forward possesses undeniable talent, as showcased in his earlier seasons at Manchester United, and if Barcelona can unlock this potential again, he’ll be a sensational player for Hansi Flick.
RCD Mallorca v FC Barcelona - LaLiga EA Sports
Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images
But how did he get on in his La Liga debut? Gary Lineker has reacted.
How did Rashford play on his La Liga debut for Barcelona?
Rashford came on as a substitute against Mallorca on Saturday, with Flick’s side dominating proceedings, winning 3-0, with the opposition down to nine men.
Lineker alluded that this probably didn’t play to Rashford’s advantage, with the home side almost shutting up shop when he entered the frame.
He begins: “And this leads us on to Marcus Rashford. A pretty quiet start. Got 20-odd minutes. Came on as a sub as we thought he probably would do. Not much happened for him. Yeah. And he played as a central striker, didn’t he? Rather than out wide, which is interesting.
“Yeah. I think the truth is that in these circumstances, if you’re coming on in a game and you’re well ahead, and you’re playing against a team with 11 men who might want to try something to get back into the game, then you probably get some space. But if you’re coming on against a team down to nine men and they’re basically saying, “Well, we don’t want to get humiliated here,” that is not the ideal start.
“The last thing you like, whether you’re playing as a nine or even on the left, is the low block with every single player behind the ball. So there’s not going to be much space. I think there’ll be easier games for Marcus.”
Will Rashford get game time for Barcelona?
With a plethora of superstars at the Spotify Camp Nou, many are unsure as to whether Rashford will get minutes at Barca. Lineker suggests otherwise.
Lineker continued: “People keep saying, ‘Yeah, will Rashford get in the team at all?” I said, “But nowadays, with the amount of football that’s played, you need a number of players, don’t you, across the front?”
“One of the reasons I’m sure they brought Marcus in is that even if he’s at the start of this season not first choice in any of those positions, he can play in any of the three positions across the front line. Obviously, his best is on the left.
RCD Mallorca v FC Barcelona - LaLiga EA Sports
Photo by Cristian Trujillo/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
But he has played many, many times as a number nine. Even by his own admission, when I interviewed him last week, he says, “I’m not a natural nine in the sense that I’m happy if I just score goals.”
“He said, “I’m not that kind of player,” so I get that. But he can also play on the right. He did say his preference was on the left-hand side, though, but he’ll get plenty of football this season.”
The Catalans have so many fixtures across the season, so you can’t help but agree with Lineker. Rashford will have so many opportunities, not just in the league, but in various cup competitions, to impress under Flick.
Rashford wanted Barcelona for a reason – and that’s because he thinks he can thrive over there.
Barcelona’s next fixture is on Saturday, the 23rd, as they take on Levante. How many minutes will he get in that one?