As Marcus Rashford prepares to face Real Madrid as Barcelona's most productive player this season, fresh from scoring two classy goals against Olympiacos in the Champions League, it is worth remembering that the striker was mocked in some quarters for having the audacity to think he could even play for the Blaugrana after two disappointing seasons, let alone rip it up for them.
Former Manchester United forward Teddy Sheringham said Rashford "didn't deserve to make the step up" to Barca after leaving Old Trafford. European football pundit Gabriele Marcotti told Rashford to "get a grip of where you are right now" and laughed at his entourage's trip to Barcelona last May to try to persuade the Catalans to sign him.
No-one is laughing now though. Rashford not only got his move, he has convinced the doubters in England and the sceptics in Spain. And his next stop is a first-ever visit to the Santiago Bernabeu to play in the biggest club fixture in the world and take on Barca's eternal rivals Real Madrid.
Getty Images SportBest season yet
Rashford is yet to play for Barca at the Camp Nou as it is still being renovated although he lit up the famous stadium nearly three years ago when United drew 2-2 with the Catalans in the Europa League. That was one of many high points of the 2022-23 season, when he scored 30 goals and notched 12 assists. It landed him a lucrative new contract at Old Trafford, but for many Red Devils fans their homegrown star was never the same after signing on the dotted line.
He got only eight goals in the next season and was soon bombed out of the squad by Ruben Amorim due to a clash of personalities. But right now Rashford is in even better form than he was at the same stage of that incredible season three years ago. He has five goals and five assists in 12 games, while in that same period in 2022 he had five goals and three assists.
Rashford has really risen to the occasion in the Champions League, getting at least one goal contribution in Barca's three games in Europe's premier competition. He produced a stunning match-winning brace at Newcastle in the first game of the season and on Tuesday he finished off Olympiacos by scoring twice, as well as winning the penalty which allowed Lamine Yamal to restore Barca's two-goal cushion in the eventual 6-1 win.
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Although hat-trick hero Fermin Lopez took the majority of plaudits after the hammering, there was high praise for Rashford. "The Englishman's move is a real coup. No-one doubts the success of his signing anymore," read 's match report. The paper also praised Lopez and Rashford for being "two players who don't make much noise, but who always contribute something to the team".
said Rashford had "proved he belongs in the team", predicting "he could be a weapon to be reckoned with in El Clasico. "Shirts with Rashford's name and No.14 on the back are beginning to proliferate among Barca fans," wrote .
So often caught sulking or appearing disinterested in his last 18 months at United, Rashford has looked radiant in his first couple of months with Barcelona. Waking up each morning to sunshine and blue skies will always help but the nicer weather is not the only reason why he looks much happier in Catalonia than in his last two years in Manchester.
There was a lot of attention on Rashford's private life and he did not always help the perception of him with his ventures out into the city, such as going to a nightclub after the derby defeat by Manchester City or his boozy night out in Belfast which led to him missing a training session. Being in a different city means being away from his usual entourage and that is perhaps helping him knuckle down.
Getty Images SportJust needed a change
Asked what went wrong for him towards the end of his time at United, Rashford seemed to suggest he simply wanted a change of scenery after spending most of his life at the club.
"It's difficult to put your finger on what it was," he told . "In my mind it's so many years in one place, 23 years of my life was with Manchester. Sometimes you just need a change. Maybe this was the case with me. At the minute I'm enjoying everything, so I just continue the way I am and keep pushing to do that little bit extra.
"I don't think there's much change in me, it's just a new environment, a new culture, it's one I looked forward to. I feel like I've taken good steps in my first few months here. I'm completely positive about the situation, I have to continue to be in this mindset. When I'm in this mindset it's easier for me to learn what I have to learn."
A clear difference is the relationship Rashford has with his coach at Barca and the one he had with his last two at United. Ten Hag possibly indulged Rashford as he knew how important he was, bringing him off the bench at Wolves after dropping him for being late and then starting him at Wolves a year later just days after the Belfast saga. Rashford scored in both of those games, underlining his importance.
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Amorim, however, knew from the start that Rashford had the potential to be a problem for him. And even though he had scored twice against Everton after his night out, Amorim took issue with it and not long after he dropped him from the squad. Most United fans backed the coach. But Hansi Flick has taken a different approach. He had admired Rashford for a long period and when he learned he was available he urged the club to sign him as soon as possible.
He revealed: "I told Deco [sporting director] we have to do it. Marcus is an outstanding player, exactly what we needed." Rashford was fortunate in some respects that Barca failed to land their two other targets, Nico Williams and Luis Diaz. The Englishman proved to be a much more affordable option to a club with well-known financial issues. He has also benefitted from his team-mates suffering injuries; Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, Fermin Lopez and Dani Olmo have all had spells on the sidelines while Rashford has remained fit, being the only forward to play in every game this season. Rashford is also working hard and looking sharper than in his final season in England.
He has almost doubled the amount of sprints he does per game, according to , from 18.9 per 90 minutes in the Premier League (with United and on loan at Aston Villa) to 34.9 per 90 with Barca in La Liga. He is also covering more ground at a higher speed, covering 630 metres at a rate of 21km/h per match in Spain compared to just 122 metres at the same speed in England.
