has emerged as a contender for miss of the season following .
The 27-year-old England worldwide has arrived on a season-long mortgage from Manchester United, seeking to revive his stalled profession alongside in what guarantees to be one in every of Europe’s most explosive entrance traces.
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Rashford, one in every of Europe’s high skills earlier than falling out of favour at United and spending the latter a part of final season on mortgage at Aston Villa, has joined a stellar attacking forged, which proved their prowess on Sunday evening with a 5-0 hammering of Italian aspect Como within the Joan Gamper Trophy on the Johan Cruyff Stadium, with two objectives apiece from Yamal and Fermín López and one from former Leeds United ahead Raphinha.
Rashford, who earned ecstatic applause when he was launched earlier than kick-off, ought to have joined them on the rating sheet however was responsible of a surprising miss with Barcelona 4-0 up. He did the tough half by rounding Como goalkeeper Jean Butez brilliantly, however with the aim at his mercy, he fired vast.
Barcelona are getting ready for the brand new marketing campaign beneath Hansi Flick, whose tactical revolution powered the Catalans to a exceptional home double constructed round 18-year-old Yamal, who took European soccer by storm after serving to Spain win a file fourth European Championship.
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Flick’s arrival in July 2024 following Xavi Hernández’s bitter departure instigated a renaissance after years of administration and monetary struggles had broken Barca’s world picture, together with 5 straight seasons with out a Champions League semi-final.
The German, sacked as his nationwide crew’s coach in September 2023, orchestrated a shocking turnaround that propelled Barcelona to their twenty eighth Spanish league title and the Copa del Rey. They practically reached the Champions League closing earlier than shedding in extr within the additional time of their semi-final towards Inter Milan.
Rashford rounded the keeper however then fired vast – Getty Photographs/Pedro Salado
They scored 43 objectives in 14 Champions League matches and an astonishing 102 in 38 La Liga video games – 24 greater than Actual Madrid, whom they beat in all 4 of their encounters final season, scoring 16 objectives.
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Flick’s entertainment-first method helped Barca beat nice rivals Actual over 4 matches in a row throughout all competitions, reintroducing attacking verve to a membership that treats whole soccer as a faith.
As Barcelona put together to begin the season at Mallorca on August 16, the German’s principal problem might be fixing defensive frailties with out compromising their scoring prowess.
They are going to be battling with a Actual aspect beneath new supervisor Xabi Alonso, with Carlo Ancelotti having headed to Brazil and striker Kylian Mbappé seeking to bounce again from a disappointing debut season on the Bernabéu.
Barca face a well-recognized hurdle in registering Rashford, nonetheless. The Spanish champions can not presently register the ahead due to La Liga’s monetary guidelines, having spent extra on signings and wages than they’ve made in income for a number of seasons.
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President Joan Laporta has repeatedly mentioned he’s assured of registering Rashford and goalkeeper Joan García for the brand new season, with a deadline of end-August to resolve the difficulty.
Regardless of Barcelona’s long-standing monetary disaster, which the Covid pandemic exacerbated, the Catalan membership have at all times ultimately been capable of register their new signings.
They resorted to the courts and Spain’s Nationwide Sports activities Council final season to attraction efficiently over registering Dani Olmo and Pau Victor – a choice La Liga mentioned violated its Monetary Honest Play guidelines.
Their troubles have ignited a feud with goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was stripped of the captaincy after declining to signal a long-term harm depart of absence that might have allowed Barca to clear 80 per cent of his wages till mid-season and adjust to La Liga monetary guidelines.
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