Marcus Rashford’s time in Barcelona seems to be paying off faster than most people expected, and Hansi Flick isn’t hiding how pleased he is with the forward’s progress.
Speaking ahead of the Champions League showdown with Chelsea tomorrow, the Barcelona boss, as reported by Fabrizio Romano via his official X account, praised Rashford’s growing influence on the team both on the pitch and around the dressing room.
He said:
Hansi Flick: I’m happy to have Rashford here at Barça. I’ve always been impressed by his quality and what he can do in the box, and he’s showing that in Barcelona. New football, in Barcelona, with good weather it’s incredible to see how he’s always smiling.
Softfootball understands that Rashford recently returned to training after shaking off an illness. Although he couldn’t partake in the game at the Nuo Camp, he watched on from the stands as Barcelona won 4–0 over Athletic Bilbao in the club’s big return home.
Flick, who’s always admired Rashford’s ability in and around the box, didn’t hold back when asked about the English forward’s adaptation.
Hansi Flick opened up about how impressed he is with Marcus Rashford’s adjustment to life in Spain, and honestly, it’s not hard to see why. From the way Flick talks about it, the whole switch of environment has evidently done Rashford a lot of good.
Something about the club’s style and the slower rhythm around the city seems to have clicked for him almost straight away. And you can tell he’s enjoying the football a bit more than he did last season. Six goals already, a return that shows he’s settling in better than many expected.
Barcelona also got a boost with Raphinha returning after almost two months on the sidelines. When he came off the bench against Bilbao, the difference was noticeable right away. He brought a kind of energy and movement that opened pockets of space in places Barca had been struggling to find.
Between Rashford rediscovering himself and Raphinha easing back into things, Barcelona suddenly look a bit brighter going into the Chelsea match, not perfect, but definitely more hopeful than they were a few weeks back.
