Marcus Rashford scored for the fifth time in this season's Champions League as Barcelona came from 1-0 down to beat FC Copenhagen in their final league phase outing
Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring for Barcelona against FC Copenhagen
Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring for Barcelona against FC Copenhagen(Image: Getty Images)
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Manchester United might not be in this season's Champions League, but they do have a representative in the form of Marcus Rashford. The England forward is on loan at Barcelona - though the move could yet become permanent in the summer - and he was on target again on Wednesday night.
Rashford came off the bench to score Barca's fourth goal as they came from behind to claim a 4-1 victory over FC Copenhagen in their final league phase game. The victory was crucial in sending them straight through to the round of 16 without the need for a play-off, with one of Monaco, Qarabag, Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United up next.
Viktor Dadason fired the Danish visitors into an early lead, one which they held until the break. Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha all scored second-half goals to turn it around, though, before Rashford came off the bench and sent a late free-kick beyond Copenhagen keeper Dominik Kotarski.
"We try to bring our best performances in the competition and we try to win," Rashford said after the victory. "So I think this is the aim for a club like Barca and we have this mentality to win all the games that we can, so we'll do our best to do this."
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Rashford's goal was his fifth in the Champions League already, making him Barcelona's joint-top scorer in this season's competition alongside Fermin Lopez. He got attention in the Spanish media after the match, while there was also a reminder that the next round could bring a reunion with a team against whom he starred earlier in the competition.
Marca
Writing in Marca, Fernando Carnerero positioned this performance as one which could bring a different result against different opposition. However, the concerns largely related to the first half, before Rashford was involved.
"Barca continues to achieve its season objectives with a steady hand, though not without some struggles," Carnerero wrote. "While some concerns remain, such as the excessive number of goals conceded, their attacking prowess minimizes this problem and gets them out of many tight spots.
Marcus Rashford's free-kick lands in the Copenhagen net
Rashford's free-kick lands in the Copenhagen net(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
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"In the Champions League group stage, the first goal was to reach the top eight – to avoid playing two extra matches in the packed February schedule – and they achieved this after defeating Copenhagen with much more effort than expected, as the score was a surprising 0-1 at halftime. They went all out in the second half and it paid off thanks to goals from Lewandowski, Lamine, Raphinha, and Rashford. This may not always be the case in later rounds and against tougher opponents."
Mundo Deportivo
Laura Aparicio wrote of Rashford's "spectacular" free-kick in Mundo Deportivo. However, the comeback victory was largely "The talent and brilliance of Lamine [Yamal], who carried the team on his shoulders."
The same publication provided player ratings for each of Barca's players, including those who - like Rashford - only played part of the match. The Englishman got the one-word description of 'sniper' after making no mistake with that late free-kick.
"His fifth Champions League goal made him Barca's joint European top scorer with Fermín," Xavier Munoz wrote. "He achieved it with a stunning free kick, the fourth for the club since Messi's departure. The crossbar denied him another brace."
AS
There was even a reference to Lionel Messi in Santi Gimenez's write-up for AS. "Barca continued their search for goals and Rashford managed to break the curse of direct free-kick goals since Messi left, scoring [to make it] 4-1 in that way," the verdict read.
Sure enough, this was the first time any Barcelona player had scored a direct free-kick in the Champions League since 2019, when Messi scored in the first leg of their semi-final against Liverpool. Writing in the same publication, Sergi de Juan noted that it took the Catalan club 50 shots in between those two free-kick goals.
Lionel Messi scoring a free-kick against Liverpool
Rashford's goal was Barca's first direct free-kick scored in the Champions League since Lionel Messi netted in 2019(Image: Getty Images)
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"Marcus Rashford achieved against Copenhagen what seemed impossible at Barcelona since Leo Messi's departure: scoring a free kick," he wrote. "The English striker had already proven himself a specialist in this type of play at Manchester United, but he hadn't yet had the opportunity to score one for the Catalan club.
"He finally did so in the last Champions League group stage match, drawing the foul himself. He curled the free kick over the wall to the near post, deceiving the goalkeeper."
Sport
Sport pointed to Rashford's brace against Newcastle in September when discussing Barca's potential round of 16 opponents. "Real Madrid will be worn down for two weeks (in the play-offs), while Barça can rest while awaiting the round of 16," journalist Ferran Correas wrote.
"The Blaugrana know the names of the four teams they could face in the round of 16, including a tough opponent like the current champions, PSG. The other three are Newcastle, whom they already defeated away in the first match of this stage with a great performance from Rashford, Monaco, and Qarabag."
Jordi Gil paid particular reference to Rashford's late strike, which squeezed in at the near post, writing in the same publication: "It was just a matter of running down the clock to secure a well-deserved European qualification in a Champions League that, in its first phase, has left a very positive impression. And even more so with Rashford's late free-kick goal."