Marcus Rashford made a significant impact by scoring twice in Barcelona's 2-1 victory over Newcastle United in their Champions League opener. Despite the absence of young talent Lamine Yamal, Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, shone alongside Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha. His goals were crucial in securing the win at St James' Park.
Newcastle began energetically, with Anthony Elanga creating early opportunities. In the sixth minute, Elanga set up Anthony Gordon, who missed a clear chance. Later, Elanga's run led to another opportunity for Harvey Barnes, but Joan Garcia's save kept the score level. As the first half progressed, Barcelona found their rhythm.
Barcelona took control in the second half when Jules Kounde's cross found Rashford,
who headed home in the 58th minute. Nine minutes later, Rashford scored again with a powerful shot that hit the bar before going in. This performance marked his first competitive goals for Barcelona.
Newcastle introduced Nick Woltemade as they sought an equaliser. He played a part in a move that allowed Gordon to score from Jacob Murphy's cross just before stoppage time. However, Barcelona held firm during the final minutes to secure their win.
7 - Marcus Rashford has scored seven goals in his career against Newcastle United in all competitions, only scoring more against Leicester City (8). Familiar. pic.twitter.com/oLSOXIGwyg OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 18, 2025
Rashford joined an exclusive group by becoming only the fifth player to score twice on his Champions League debut for Barcelona. He followed in the footsteps of Txiki Begiristain (1993), Cristian Tello (2012), Lewandowski (2022), and Joao Felix (2023). His performance was also notable as he became just the second Englishman to achieve this feat against a Premier League team while playing for a non-English club.
The absence of Lamine Yamal due to a groin injury provided Rashford with this opportunity. His performance mirrored Harry Kane's achievement for Bayern Munich against Manchester United earlier this year. Both players are now part of an elite group of English players who have scored twice against Premier League teams while representing non-English clubs.
Despite Newcastle's late push and Nick Pope denying Dani Olmo a third goal for Barcelona, Rashford's contributions ensured a successful start for Hansi Flick's side in their Champions League campaign.
