Marcus Rashford leveraged a good end to the international break with a lift-off performance against Valencia in a 6-0 win for Barcelona.
The international break proved to be a noteworthy period for Marcus Rashford, as Thomas Tuchel expressed concern following the initial match, only to commend him in the subsequent one.
Rashford must perform at his highest level this season to persuade Barcelona to activate his buy option, although he has somewhat lost his form lately.
Nevertheless, in the first match following the international break, Barcelona decisively defeated Valencia 6-0, and Rashford’s remarkable moment drew significant attention.
Marcus Rashford catches the eye for Barcelona
Whenever a team achieves a 6-0 victory, it is evident that the forwards of the triumphant team enjoyed a remarkable performance.
This was precisely the situation for Barcelona, as Robert Lewandowski, Fermin Lopez, and Raphinha each netted two goals.
Although Rashford was not directly involved in the scoring, he arguably delivered the highlight of the match by assisting Raphinha’s goal.
This occurred in the 53rd minute, with Barcelona holding a slender 1-0 advantage.
Rashford positioned himself on the wing and executed an extraordinary pass that navigated through seven Valencia defenders.
He located Raphinha in the penalty area, just three yards from the goal, and the Brazilian completed the task to secure Barcelona’s second goal and unleash a torrent of scoring.
Rashford generated the highest number of chances in the match (three), and despite being on the field for 68 minutes, he appeared dynamic and energetic every time he received the ball.
Spanish press on ‘undeniable’ Rashford
Rashford has swiftly garnered admiration in Spain, as his raw output may not be perfect, yet his effort is beyond reproach.
Following his assist to Raphinha in the match against Valencia, the raw output counter began to register, leading to an abundance of praise for the Manchester United academy graduate.
According to AS, Rashford’s cross for Raphinha was described as ‘delightful’, emphasizing that his determination to contribute to the team was ‘undeniable’.
In a separate article featuring a video of Rashford’s assist, AS referred to it as a ‘wonder’ piece of play, ‘invented’ by the forward, who took great pleasure in it.
Marca highlighted Rashford and Lewandowski as the two key players who ‘put the pressure’ on Valencia, which is significant praise given that Rashford did not score.
Mundo Deportivo also praised Rashford’s ‘great pass’, noting that he is gradually acclimating to the league and his teammates, which poses a concerning prospect for the other teams.
Rashford’s upcoming match will be against English opposition, as Barcelona is set to face Newcastle in the Champions League on September 18.
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