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Barcelona were on point as they began their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Newcastle United on Thursday at the St. James Park.
It was a cagey first half where the hosts had a couple of opportunity, but they were wasteful in front of goal as it remained goalless after the first period.
Things changed drastically when Rashford handed the lead in the 58th minute with a powerful header from Jules Kounde's cross.
The opening strike gave the England international much needed confidence as he came up with a fantastic long-range strike to complete his brace in the 67th minute.
The 27-year-old endured a tough start to life at Barcelona and there were even reports suggesting that the hierarchy were not happy with his performances.
However, this game against the Magpies will act as a redemption for the English forward and hopefully bring out his best for the Catalans.
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Interestingly, Rashford became the second English player to score two goals in a Champions League game for a non-English club. He joins Harry Kane in this record, who achieved it against Chelsea on Wednesday.
He also became the first-ever Englishman to score a goal for Barcelona in the Champions League.
As per Opta, Rashford finished the match as joint-first for Barcelona on shots (6), touches in the opposition box (10), dribbles (5) and possession won (6), becoming the first Barcelona player to register such statistics in a Champions League game since Lionel Messi in 2015.
What did Rashford say after his record-breaking outing against Newcastle?
The last couple of seasons have been extremely tough for Rashford after he fell out of favour at Manchester United and was loaned out to Aston Villa last season and he instantly became a favourite for manager Unai Emery.
He delivered some great performances but due to PSR constraints they couldn't sign him permanently and it opened up the opportunity for Barcelona to sign him on loan.
There were plenty of doubters as many believed that the 27-year-old is not at par with Barcelona's level or style of play.
However, he has proven everyone wrong with three goal contributions in the last two matches across competitions.
"I feel the confidence that coach Hansi Flick has given me," Rashford said after the win. "I knew he was a great coach before I got here, but working with him is a real pleasure."
Meanwhile, Flick also reassured his trust in Rashford, as he told the reporters, "I spoke with Rashford in July and told him: I need you in my team."
"I’m not surprised. Rashford is a player with amazing talent and an incredible ability to finish attacks, which we see in training."
Barcelona news and related links
- Is Marcus Rashford on loan at Barcelona? Man United transfer exit, recall option explained
- When will Barcelona return to new Camp Nou? Stadium renovations delay explained as PSG game moved to Montjuic
- Where is Lamine Yamal? Spain injury sees Barcelona star miss Newcastle game, prompts Hansi Flick fury with RFEF
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