TOKYO – England international Marcus Rashford only managed 33 minutes on his much-anticipated Barcelona debut after being brought on as a second-half substitute during the club’s 3-1 pre-season win over Vissel Kobe in Japan on Saturday.
The former Manchester United forward, who officially joined the Spanish giants on loan last week, made his first appearance in the club’s colours but was withdrawn midway through the second half. His early substitution left many puzzled, prompting Barcelona coach Hansi Flick to explain the decision after the match.
Flick, speaking after the encounter, said Rashford was still behind in terms of match fitness compared to his new teammates, having not trained much with the ball prior to his move. “He’s a week behind the others,” the coach said. “We want to look after him.”
The 27-year-old winger is expected to play a more prominent role when Barcelona begin their La Liga campaign against Mallorca on 16 August. He has three more pre-season matches to build sharpness and integrate into Flick’s system.
Despite the limited minutes, Rashford was warmly welcomed by the Barcelona fans and managed to contribute defensively before he was subbed off in the 78th minute.
Barcelona’s goals on the day came from Eric Garcia, rising talent Rooney Bardghji, and Pedro Fernandez. Flick said he was satisfied with the overall team performance, especially during the first half hour, but admitted his side lost control briefly before regaining their shape.
Rashford has joined the Catalan side on a season-long loan that includes a €30 million option-to-buy clause.
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