Marcus Rashford's dream to win the Champions League with Barcelona has been put on hold
Marcus Rashford's ambition to lift the Champions League with Barcelona has been dashed after they crashed out in the quarter-finals. The La Liga leaders were eliminated by Atletico Madrid, falling 3-2 on aggregate.
Despite drawing level half an hour into the second leg, the fightback wasn't enough to overcome their Spanish rivals as Ademola Lookman struck to send Atleti through to the final four. Barcelona's elimination has seen Rashford's earlier remarks come back into focus, after he claimed Barca could win it all.
Speaking after he joined the Spanish giants on loan last summer, the Manchester United forward was determined to collect every honour on offer. Rashford told Spanish outlet SPORT: "Yes, for sure [Barcelona can win the Champions League].
"Not only the Champions League, but everything. They had such a good season last year. So now it's about forgetting last year, trying to recreate and even improve."
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The winger added: "They have the principles, otherwise you don't win three trophies last season. I'm sure about this. The mentality and motivation is very high, so I don't see why we can't win all the trophies we are competing for.
"For me, the team is ready to win, and it's about just helping the team in whichever way I can. The season is a long season, and there's a lot of football to be played. Football is very unpredictable, so we're going to have to adapt throughout the season.
"But I think the staff and the players have a strong mentality, so I think whatever challenges we're going to face, we'll be in a position to give our best to win."
Rashford reinforced this view following his double against Newcastle during the league phase. When questioned whether there's a ceiling to Barcelona's aspirations this season, he said: "It's only to win it. Nothing else is on our minds. We know how tough the competition is.
"Playing for Barcelona is an amazing experience. I've always been a huge admirer of Barcelona. We want to win as much as possible. 100 per cent, I'm full of excitement. I'm very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team excites me. It's so refreshing to play with these players."
Following Tuesday's disappointing elimination, Rashford will need to shelve his European dreams for now. While he's scheduled to return to Manchester in the summer, there remains a genuine chance he could make his Barcelona move permanent should both clubs reach an agreement.
Barcelona held an option to secure Rashford's transfer permanently for a fee of €30million (£26m), though this clause has reportedly now lapsed. Barca are also exploring alternative targets, including Benfica's Andreas Schjelderup.