Marcus Rashford wants to shine again in England as Barcelona face Newcastle United | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are set to open their UEFA Champions League campaign with a match against Newcastle United this Thursday. The whole Blaugrana team would be roaring to perform well in this game, especially as the UCL is one of the trophies most desired by the club this season.

However, as SPORT has noted, among the players with added motivation is Marcus Rashford. The forward will step onto English soil for the first time since leaving Manchester United last summer, marking his very first Champions League appearance without the Red Devils’ shirt.

Rashford carries with him a decent record against Newcastle United, having scored 5 goals in 15 encounters, 2 of which came at St. James’ Park, where Barcelona will now begin their European journey.

His most memorable strike against the Magpies was at Wembley in February 2023, when he sealed Manchester United’s Carabao Cup triumph in the final.

The 27-year-old enjoyed 11 seasons at Old Trafford, where he scored 138 goals in 426 appearances before a short loan spell at Aston Villa. Yet after injuries and a difficult end to his Premier League career, he arrives at Barcelona on loan, determined to prove himself once again at the highest level.

That sense of redemption makes Thursday’s clash especially significant for the English forward. Rashford is still adapting to Hansi Flick’s system, but glimpses of his pace and creativity have already emerged, most notably with the assist he provided for Raphinha in Barça’s recent 6-0 victory over Valencia.

With Lamine Yamal sidelined, Hansi Flick could hand Rashford a starting role, likely on the left wing. In that case, the spotlight would fall squarely on the Manchester native, who will look to remind fans back home of his quality while helping FC Barcelona make the perfect start to their Champions League campaign.