Rashford's brilliant first goals for Barcelona prove Man United exit doesn't define him

NEWCASTLE, England -- Barcelona manager Hansi Flick laid down the gauntlet to Marcus Rashford connected Wednesday -- and connected Thursday, successful stunning fashion, helium responded arsenic Barça opened their Champions League run with a 2-1 win astatine a raucous St. James' Park against Newcastle United.

Ahead of the match, Flick had urged Rashford to beryllium himself backmost successful England. He did conscionable that, scoring doubly successful the 2nd fractional -- the archetypal a good header and the 2nd and a superb onslaught from distance, which deed the underside of the barroom connected the mode past Nick Pope.

The goals, Rashford's archetypal for Barça since his summertime determination from Manchester United, earned Flick's broadside a captious European triumph successful an brushwood wherever Newcastle played their portion successful arsenic well. Anthony Gordon's 90th-minute extremity acceptable up 7 tense minutes of stoppage time, but it did not instrumentality the spotlight distant from Rashford.

It famously took Rashford conscionable 1 crippled to unfastened his relationship for Man United, of course, and 10 for Aston Villa. After a low-key commencement astatine Barça, his archetypal extremity has arrived successful his 5th appearance, and it makes him the archetypal Englishman to people for the Catalan nine successful the European Cup since Gary Lineker successful 1989.

"For maine it was the archetypal step," Flick said aft the match. "He has to marque the adjacent step. This match, these goals present successful England against Newcastle for Barcelona successful archetypal Champions League lucifer this season, it's great. It gives him assurance successful himself. This is the astir important thing.

"But I americium not surprised. His skills are unbelievable and his finishing is unbelievable. For a striker, of course, it's ever bully to score. I americium truly happy. He is an important player. When we spoke earlier the season, astir what we request for the team, we needed a subordinate similar him."

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The biggest compliment Rashford could beryllium paid by the location supporters was the fierce jeers that accompanied his substitution precocious successful the game. As Flick embraced him warmly connected the touchline, helium indispensable person been reasoning astir however overmuch helium loves facing Newcastle. That's present 11 goals successful 16 appearances against them.

These 2 whitethorn beryllium the astir memorable. The timing of his archetypal Barça goal, opening the scoring successful a choky Champions League affair, could not person been much perfect. The mounting was beauteous good, too, backmost successful England where, astatine times during immoderate pugnacious spells with United, helium has been written off. This was a reminder that helium inactive has plentifulness to connection astatine the apical level.

It was besides invited for Flick. With Lamine Yamal missing done injury, determination were questions astir however Barça's onslaught would just successful the North East of England. Those questions looked understandable astatine the break, but Rashford, supported by the tireless Raphinha and Fermín López, arsenic good arsenic

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