Rashford scores brace as Barcelona beat Newcastle in Champions League opener | OneFootball

Marcus Rashford arrived at Barcelona carrying more questions than answers, but his Champions League performance at St James’ Park offered a reminder of why managers continue to believe in him.

On a night when Newcastle United looked capable of unsettling the Spanish champions, it was Rashford who turned the occasion into his own personal showcase.

For 58 minutes, Eddie Howe’s gameplan held firm. Newcastle pressed hard, mixed their passing well, and created enough half-chances to stir the home crowd. Anthony Elanga’s running stretched Barcelona’s defence and Harvey Barnes twice found himself in promising positions.

Yet without a natural striker on the pitch, the end product was lacking. Howe’s bold decision to start Anthony Gordon through the middle instead of Nick Woltemade left his side short of the cutting edge required to punish Barcelona.

That margin for error vanished the moment Rashford struck. First came the glancing header, guided expertly past Nick Pope after a well-measured cross from Jules Kounde.

Then, nine minutes later, came a strike of pure authority — a 20-yard effort that crashed in off the bar and left Pope grasping at thin air.

It was not just the goals themselves, but the sense of inevitability once Rashford found space. Newcastle’s energy had held Barcelona, but Rashford’s quality overwhelmed them.

The symbolism was hard to ignore. In the stands, Faustino Asprilla was hailed for his famous 1997 hat-trick against Barcelona, a night of Tyneside glory. On the pitch, Rashford wrote a different script — silencing the noise and reminding Europe of his ability to change games at the highest level.

For all Newcastle’s industry, this was a reminder that elite forwards decide elite matches.

Rashford’s performance also felt like a personal reset. His struggles at Manchester United have been well-documented, but under Hansi Flick he looks sharper, hungrier, and willing to embrace a new challenge.

With Lamine Yamal injured, Barcelona needed someone to step forward, and Rashford seized the responsibility. By the time he left the pitch to a standing ovation from the travelling fans, the contest was effectively over despite Gordon’s late consolation.

For Newcastle, there was encouragement in the endeavour but frustration in the execution. Howe’s tactical tweaks unsettled Barcelona, yet without a focal point up front their pressure lacked teeth.

For Barcelona, the lesson was simple: with Rashford in this mood, they have a match-winner who can tilt Europe’s biggest nights in their favour.

This was not supposed to be Rashford’s stage, but he claimed it with conviction. On a night that promised much for Newcastle, it was Barcelona’s new loanee who ensured the story belonged to him.