Rashford Thrives on Loan at Barcelona, Aims for Silverware

Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on loan during the summer and has experienced a successful stint in Spain. To date, he has scored seven goals across all competitions and provided 11 assists. However, his performance has recently plateaued, as evidenced by just one assist in his last six La Liga matches.

Reports from The Sun indicate that the forward is unlikely to return to England in the upcoming January transfer window. The decision to loan Rashford, along with team-mates Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, and Jadon Sancho, was made by the club’s management rather than head coach Amorim.

Rashford has expressed his desire to remain at Barcelona, aiming to add trophies to his already impressive collection. He stated, “What I want is to stay at Barca. It’s the ultimate goal, but it’s not the reason I’m training hard and giving my all. The purpose is to win. Barca is a huge, fantastic club, built to win titles.”

When asked about his experiences in the city and at the club, Rashford remarked, “I’m settling in really well at the club and in the city. From the moment I arrived, I felt very welcomed. For me, the reason I’m here is to help the team win trophies; last season was fantastic, but life moves very fast, things change, and the goal is to repeat those successes. I’m totally focused on that. Everything has been fantastic with the staff and my teammates; I have no complaints.”

He commented on the pressure at Barcelona, saying, “There is pressure here, but it’s not negative pressure; it’s the kind you crave as a player. I can’t be in a place where there aren’t high expectations; for me, it’s harder to stay motivated and give my best at a club where the demands aren’t at their peak.”

Amorim previously suggested he would prefer to play a goalkeeping coach rather than Rashford if the latter did not meet training expectations. He stated, “I prefer it like that. I will put (Jorge) Vital on than a player that doesn’t give the maximum every day. So I will not change in that department.”

In contrast, Hansi Flick praised Rashford’s attitude, noting, “When I talk to the players, I explain why they didn’t play. When I tried to explain to Rashford why he wasn’t a starter, he said: ‘You don’t need to explain to me.’ The important thing is that the team wins and we get the three points. Nothing else matters. This is the right mindset, and I’m glad it’s with us.”

Barcelona is set to face Athletic Club in the Spanish Super Cup this week as Rashford seeks his first piece of silverware with the Catalan club. Following this, they will compete against Real Sociedad in La Liga and Slavia Praha in the Champions League. Currently, the club leads La Liga, sitting four points ahead of Real Madrid.