Rashford joins rare Barcelona company after scoring twice in Champions League opener | OneFootball

Marcus Rashford marked a defining moment in his Barcelona career with a spectacular brace that sealed a 2-1 win against Newcastle United in the Champions League opener.

Returning to his homeland, the English forward not only delivered the match-winning goals but also earned the MVP award and was voted UEFA Champions League Player of the Week.

Rashford led the team in attacking statistics with six shots, three crosses, and an exceptional conversion rate, as both of his shots on target found the back of the net.

His first goal came in the 58th minute, a powerful header from a Jules Kounde cross, followed just nine minutes later by a stunning long-range strike that clipped the crossbar before beating goalkeeper Nick Pope.

With his double at St. James’ Park, Rashford also wrote his name into an exclusive chapter of Barcelona’s history.

According to Misterchip (via Mundo Deportivo), only four other Blaugrana greats had previously managed to score twice in a Champions League match on English soil: Ronaldinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Luis Suarez, and Lionel Messi.

Rashford has now become the fifth, a feat that adds even greater weight to the significance of his performance.

He also joined an elite group of players who made explosive Champions League debuts for Barcelona. Only Giovanni (1997), Robert Lewandowski (2022), and Joao Felix (2023) had scored two or more goals in their first European appearance with the club before him.

For Rashford, the night was more than numbers; it was a triumphant homecoming. Once seen as a prophet in his own land, he returned to England in Barcelona colours and departed with the admiration of both Spanish and international media.