Barcelona already know how much they’ve come to rely on Raphinha’s intensity and leadership.
His absence was deeply felt at the beginning of the season as Barcelona struggled to reach their best form.
The
Brazilian won’t be out for long , but every match in La Liga matters in a tight title race against Real Madrid, so all eyes were on the front line against Mallorca to see if they could get the job done.
But Barcelona did not look good from the start. The energy was low, and the team looked like there were destined to receive a wake up call from none other than Jan Virgili, an academy player they let walk over the summer.
This was the type of game where Raphinha would have been very useful. If only…
Marcus Rashford, however, was one of the bright spots who look determined to make an impact on the game. From the beginning, he was taking on defenders one v. one, and as a result, was consistently creating danger.
Lamine Yamal was tightly marked, which gave even more chances to Marcus.
In the end, it was power over finesse that broke the deadlock.
One thing we have come to learn about Rashford during his time at Barcelona is that, although he’s fast, his speed isn’t his greatest asset on the pitch. You have seen moments of him getting behind backlines, but it’s not where he’s made the biggest impact.
Where he’s really been effective is sitting in wide areas, staying part of the build up, and using his technical abilities around the box to play in dangerous passes, or as we saw on several occasions against Mallorca, cutting in and unleashing powerful shots.
He’s also become the de facto set piece specialist for Barcelona as well, whether it’s from corners, like the one he delivered to Ronald Araujo midweek, or from free kicks, like the one he scored against Elche.
It’s hard to deny at the moment that Rashford has truly carved out a niche for himself on this team.
Going forward, you want to see him see himself as a true protagonist in Barcelona. He’s not a supporting cast kind of guy. Now that he’s feeling comfortable in his new country, and looking adjusted to the style of La Liga, it’s time to see if he can take his game to the next level.
Barcelona will have a difficult choice to make about his future at the end of the season.
For me, it’s less about the goals and assists, and more about showing in the run of play that you belong. To be a player at Barcelona, you have to be fearless.
Against Mallorca, he was the man of the match. Lamine Yamal scored the wonder goal to seal the deal, but Marcus was the difference maker who turned the tide when his team was struggling.
You love to see it.
Success begets success. There’s a lot of season ahead, and Barcelona will need Marcus Rashford to continue leading the way when the pressure is on.
