According to a report by AS, since joining Barcelona on loan, Rashford's stats have been decent but his performance in key matches has been insufficient, leading to huge controversy over whether he can be a starter.
Although coach Flick trusts him, the team has plenty of midfielders, and with the €30 million buyout fee, the upcoming match against Atletico Madrid may directly affect his future.
The report states that Barcelona can give up on Rashford, just like he has repeatedly missed one-on-one opportunities. Facing Dmitrovic, a few minutes before scoring a goal; or before, facing Musso, he chose to take an outrageous shot with his left foot.
You would also want to renew his contract if he could score another wonderful goal like the one against Newcastle, or score an amazing free kick against Copenhagen.
You would also want to send him back to Manchester United, such as in the final moments of the Super Cup final, when the team was one man down, he failed to mark defensively, insisted on not following a Real Madrid player to the end line, even though everyone was reminding him, he ignored them.
But that's the 28-year-old Rashford. When he joined Barcelona on loan in July 2025, his primary goal was to revive his career, and now he has done it.
This player has played 42 games for Barcelona, contributing 12 goals and 11 assists, which is a very impressive record. Only Raphinha (19 goals and 7 assists), Yamal (22 goals and 17 assists), and Fermín (12 goals and 16 assists) have been involved in more goals than him. Lewandowski (17 goals and 1 assist) and Ferran Torres (18 goals and 1 assist) are slightly inferior.
However, Rashford's performance often fluctuates. Apart from the goal in the league at the Metropolitano Stadium, and the two goals against Newcastle at the beginning of the season, his goals rarely have a substantial impact on the final result of the game, and the same is true of his assists. It is not to say that Rashford is a useless player, but he lacks sufficient quality in key events, as if he has never been able to give 100%.
Gavi's brilliant performance against Atletico Madrid and Espanyol, Olmo and Fermín's excellent form, and De Jong's return have all led people to consider the rationality of this England player starting.
A midfield consisting of Pedri, Fermín, Olmo and Gavi (or De Jong) would present a very different style of play for Barcelona, even far from the fast-paced style pursued by Flick after taking office.
Flick has always liked using wingers, but this personnel configuration will increase the team's defensive aggressiveness and ball control ability, while shifting the focus of attack to Yamal, who is the key to Barcelona's victory. However, on the other hand, such an arrangement would make the number 10 player the focus of attention, and the attacking threat on Barcelona's left wing would be weakened. Moreover, Rashford was not without performance in the previous match against Atletico Madrid. Flick knows that Atletico Madrid is struggling to defend in this area, and he also has the card of Cancelo in his hand, which can open up the depth of attack on the left...
It can be seen that this controversy is reasonable, and it is believed that even in Flick's office, the related discussions have never stopped. Paradoxically, this issue will also affect the future of this England player.
Rashford has proven that he is capable of wearing the Barcelona jersey and becoming a good rotation player. The key question is whether he is the player needed by Barcelona's tactics, especially since his buyout fee is as high as 30 million euros.
The club revealed in January that it had confirmed the buyout, but subsequently there were constant reports that Barcelona hoped to renew his loan at zero cost, while also preparing alternative solutions.
Flick does have confidence in him. Raphinha occupies the main position with a clear advantage, and when this Brazilian player is absent, Flick is willing to send Rashford on the field. The second leg of the Champions League match against Atletico Madrid this week will play a crucial role in Rashford's future.
Barca99Che
32
All that nonsense and hate just because Rashford is not Spanish?? why did you go for him and promised him permanence if you knew you can't fulfill?? Truth be told, had it not been Rashford, FC Barcelona couldn't be on top of the league today. He has fitted in well as if it's not his first season at FC Barcelona. He's deputed Raphinha so well; Raphinha struggles to keep his fitness but every time he's fine, he goes straight into the starting 11 dropping Rashford to the bech and Rashford has always waited for his minutes without complaints. How many of Rashford's chances has Lewandolski and F Torres failed to convert?? How many chances from Lamine Yamal has Lewandolski and F Torres missed?? How many poor judgements have we recorded from Olmo?? But no they're are Spanish and Lewandolski is a Legend while Rashford is a pony in the game of chess ♟️ We should be grateful; €30m is not the amount we can cry for on a player like Rashford given today's market values in football. Just tell him you wanted to use him to cover Raphinha's injuries since you had no money to buy a permanent replacement who could have been fighting with Raphinha over who starts!!!