The bet paid off. Arriving in Catalan lands with the desire to revive his stagnant career, Marcus Rashford is for the moment finding color and getting closer to the Rashy who amazed England during his first years at Manchester United. On the Barça side, plan C – Deco first targeted Luis Diaz and Nico Williams – also paid off. The Three Lions player thus displays a fairly impressive line of stats, with 6 goals and 8 assists in 16 matches, and again made a good copy on the pitch of Celta de Vigo on Sunday (4-2) with two offerings. He is, statistically, the most decisive player in Hansi Flick’s team this season, and the La Liga player having distributed the most assists so far.
The Englishman flourished alongside the band of Lamine Yamal and Pedri, displaying a certain ease in creating danger in the final meters. To the point where some media explained that Raphinha, the starter on the left, was not guaranteed to find his place once he returned from injury in the event that Rashford was still performing as well. The local press also mentions a very good adaptation in the locker room, where he would have quickly integrated despite his condition as the only British player in the squad and the initial language barrier. He would be particularly appreciated by the young players of La Masia, who grew up watching him play and to whom he gives a lot of advice.
Impressive statistics, yes but…
However, we cannot say that it is unanimous internally. The Catalan media have explained on several occasions that Barcelona decision-makers do not yet know whether they will exercise its purchase option of 30 million euros. Doubts still remain as to his ability to fully perform in Hansi Flick’s team. In the defensive aspect for example, since Raphinha is considered a much more hardworking and efficient player when the opponent has the ball. As revealed by Sportthe Barcelona staff prepare special sessions and exercises for the Englishman, so that he understands what is expected of him when he has to recover the ball.
Many also believe that there is still a lot of waste in the game, and that for one well-finished gesture or action, there have been three failures before. By being a little more precise and inspired in the final meters, Rashford could be even more decisive and effective for many observers. A contrasting assessment for Marcus Rashford therefore, and even paradoxical, since for the moment, his excellent statistics do not compensate for certain faults. In a club as demanding as FC Barcelona, ​​where the manner and form are sometimes more important than the final result and where aesthetics come first, the Blaugrana number 14 knows that he cannot be satisfied with the stats and he will have to polish his game. His future in Catalonia, where he wishes to stay, depends on it…
