A little over 24 hours before kick-off, Hansi Flick spoke about how lucky he felt to have acquired Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United. Barcelona’s manager was unconcerned by Rashford’s recent struggles at Old Trafford, confident the forward could strengthen his squad.
In the 82nd minute, Rashford walked off smiling after scoring two brilliant goals that dismantled Eddie Howe’s gameplan and silenced St James’ Park. Despite a late goal from Anthony Gordon, Barcelona held on for a 2-1 win.
The match was a fast-paced affair, with both teams showing bursts of speed, particularly down the wings. Raphinha’s surges tested Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, while Anthony Elanga’s runs frequently outpaced Barcelona’s defenders. Newcastle created chances but were ultimately unable to capitalize, with their finishing letting them down on several occasions.
Rashford opened the scoring with a glancing header from Jules Koundé’s cross, his first goal for Barcelona, before adding a sublime second from 20 yards that hit the underside of the crossbar. His performance highlighted his sharpness and clinical finishing, proving a perfect fit for Barcelona even on his Tyneside debut.
Newcastle’s substitutions, including Nick Woltemade, Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock, and Malick Thiaw, could not turn the game, and the hosts were left to rue missed opportunities. Barcelona’s victory was firmly secured by Rashford’s brilliance.
