The departure of Marcus Rashford to FC Barcelona marked one of the great movements of this summer transfer window. After a decade in Manchester United, a club where he had known everything, from the status of great hope to that of offensive leader, the English striker decided to offer himself a new challenge far from England. Barcelona was able to seduce the player thanks to his sports project and the promise of a central role in the Blaugrana attack, even if the operation was materialized in the form of a loan with option. His arrival aroused a strong expectation in Catalonia, both because of his recognized talent and the idea that Rashford could embody this new energy that Barça needs. His first weeks were marked by a mixture of adaptation and enthusiasm: gradually integrated by the coach, he has already shown lightning of his speed, his calls in depth and his faculty to create the danger. If his bearings must still consolidate, his beginnings have suggested an interesting margin of progression and an immediate impact potential in a reconstruction attack.
In a large interview with the Catalan newspaper SPORTMarcus Rashford delivered his first impressions after more than a month in the shoes of FC Barcelona player: “Everything is new and very good. I am still in the adaptation phase, but yes, it is a magnificent city. I have enthusiastically lived my stay here. This just means that when you wake up, you feel this excitement at the idea of starting the day. It is a difficult feeling to explain. But you know when you experience it and when you don't experience it. You never really know, but from the start, I felt comfortable. On the field, of course, I will learn more in each match. But the starting point is very good. The more matches there will be, the more I will learn. Barça is the ideal place to enjoy football and learn».
A new adventure full of determination
Asked about what this passage in Catalonia represents for his career, he insists on the importance of the challenge and the need to respond to everyday life: “All moments of a career are crucial. For me, it's a new challenge. I'm here because that's what I want. My goal is to win. I also think that in an institution as historic as this one, all footballers play only a small role. It would be great for me to be able to contribute to this story. But, as you say, it is for the moment a loan, I must therefore take things day by day, do my best and enjoy the path“He then told our Catalan colleagues. A statement on his future already filled with motivation.
Faced with Mallorca this weekend, the English international started on the bench, which did not prevent the former Red Devil from taking advantage of. “”It was good, it was a new experience, but pleasant. But the more I will play in this league, the better I will be. And it was also good to start the season with a victory. It is true that the match was strange, with two red boxes. But it was important to win. I think the process is easier now because we are already playing matches, so we no longer depend as much on the help of others, because we are all focused on victory. It's simple, you see? We are here to train, to have fun and to win, so yes, these are the goals and I just try to improve myself every day». Finally, about his first games and his adaptation on the field, the attacker insists on the progression over the meetings and the importance of contributing to the collective, whatever his position.
“”This is new to me, but the goal remains the same: win the match. No matter how we get there, as long as we win the match and get the three points. Yes, it's a little more difficult because we do not enter the pace of the match. Of course, there are small changes, small differences to make, but I am confident in my ability to adapt. And in the end, if I have fun playing football, I will continue. I can play these two positions, but in the end, what matters is to help score and make assists. I don't care the position I play in. I think the players around me are very good and make good passes, so if I do good shopping at the right time, I can always create and score goals». In Barcelona, Marcus Rashford gives the feeling of having opened a luminous parenthesis of his career. The smile found, the desire intact and the promise of a new start: everything suggests that his blaugrana adventure is just beginning.
