Premier League icon hails Barcelona favourite after Newcastle masterclass | OneFootball

Barcelona kicked off their 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win away at Newcastle United.

Hansi Flick’s side were forced to weather a early storm of pressure of pressure from the home side before pulling off a second half turnaround.

The main story of the night focused on Marcus Rashford as the England international scored his first two goals for the club.

Rashford had endured a mixed start to life in Catalonia but he showed real prowess to dodge his marker and head Barcelona in front on 58 minutes.

If his first goal was all about the striker’s instinct, his second was a moment of sheer quality, as the Manchester United rocketed home a spectacular long-range strike before Anthony Gordon grabbed a late consolation for Eddie Howe’s team.

Rashford was hailed by his manager at full time with the forward hoping it now triggers a flood of goals for him early in his Barcelona stint.

However, he was not the only shining star for Barcelona on Tyneside, with Pedri crucial at the base of the visitors midfield.

Image via Sipa US/Alamy

Alongside Frenkie de Jong, the Canarian kept Barcelona steady during Newcastle’s best spells, with some eye-catching stats.

The 22-year-old finished as Barcelona’s No.1 for overall touches in the game with 104, the most tackles [5], the most completed passes [85] and the most carries [66].

Pedri back to full power remains crucial for Flick and former Manchester United metronome Paul Scholes labelled him as his new favourite player at full time.

90 minutes at St. James’ Park means Pedri has now completed a full game in four of Barcelona’s five outings so far this season.

Up next for Flick and Pedri is a La Liga home tie against Getafe on September 21 with the clash being played at the Estadi Johan Cruyff as their Camp Nou return remains unclear at this stage.