Rashford eyeing Clasico start after Champions League heroics

Marcus Rashford has his eyes set on a starting spot for Barcelona's upcoming Clasico with Real Madrid, after his midweek Champions League heroics against Olympiacos. 

Rashford starred for Hansi Flick's team during their 6-2 win on Tuesday, netting twice at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys as well as winning a penalty that Lamine Yamal scored. 

The England international has now scored two goals in two of his three Champions League matches for Barcelona, after only scoring more than once in one of his first 37 outings in the competition (a hat-trick for Manchester United against RB Leipzig in October 2020).

Indeed, no player has more goal involvements in Europe's elite competition than Rashford in 2025-26 (five, level with Anthony Gordon and Kylian Mbappe). 

But the Blaugrana's attention will now quickly turn to this Sunday's clash with rivals Madrid, with the pair separated by two points after nine games in LaLiga. 

"It could be my best performance with Barca," Rashford told UEFA.com.

"I'm ready to bring out the best in me, for the team. I prefer to play on the wing, but I don't care. I intend to help and do the best I can. 

"The Clasico is a great game and that's why I've come here, for this number of games. I am looking forward to it, I hope we win."

Rashford also ended the game against Olympiacos with a joint-team-high total for shots (four), while only Yamal (nine) attempted more dribbles than the 27-year-old (five). 

Barcelona also scored six goals in a Champions League game for the first time since they beat Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 in March 2017 to overturn a first leg 4-0 defeat in the round of 16 (6-5 on aggregate).

Across Europe's top five leagues in all competitions this season, only Bayern Munich (40) have scored more goals than Flick's team (33). 

"This is a very good team to enjoy your football in. I'm pleased with the performance today, especially in the second half," Rashford added.

"Even though it was obviously difficult for them with 10 men, we used the spaces better and our timing was better. 

"The manager is very demanding of us. The intensity is one of the main things. Not only the intensity but the intent to go and score goals; this is what we need to kill teams off.

"Of course, we're going to come up against teams where it is difficult to break them down, but with this team, we have so many goals coming from different areas of the pitch.

"Scoring goals is the least of our worries. So we'll just try and build on this performance today."

Barcelona have won their last four matches against Madrid in all competitions and have the chance to achieve five consecutive victories for the second time in the history of El Clasico, following those achieved between 2008 and 2010 under Pep Guardiola.