Marcus Rashford Shine for Barça Debut as Dem Beat Vissel Kobe 3-1
Na big tori for football world as Marcus Rashford, di English star wey just join Barcelona on loan from Manchester United, make im first appearance for di Spanish giants in dia 3-1 win against Vissel Kobe for Japan.
Dis pre-season friendly wey happen on Sunday, July 27, 2025, na di first match for Barça under dia coach Hansi Flick for di 2025-26 season preparation, and Rashford show say e get plenty to offer.
Di match wey dem play for Kobe City Misaki Park Stadium see Barcelona dominate Vissel Kobe, di J1 League champions, even though dem get small wahala before di game start.
Payment issues almost cancel di match, but dem sort am out, and Barça land Japan on Friday to start dia Asia tour. Di game na proper test for Barça, as Vissel Kobe dey in mid-season form, but di La Liga champions show say dem get quality wey pass.
For first half, Barça start strong with big names like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Pedri for lineup. Eric Garcia open di scoring for di 33rd minute after one goalmouth scramble, but Vissel Kobe answer back quick-quick through Taisei Miyashiro wey score just before half-time to make am 1-1. Pau Cubarsí mistake for midfield give Kobe chance to counter, and Miyashiro no waste time to finish di move.
Second half na where di real show start. Hansi Flick change di whole team, and na here Rashford enter di pitch, replacing Raphinha on di left wing.
Di 27-year-old forward, wey dey wear di iconic No. 14 shirt wey legends like Johan Cruyff and Thierry Henry don wear, show say e dey hungryQX ready to shine. E play for 33 minutes, and e make immediate impact. E get one shot wey di Vissel Kobe goalkeeper save, and e also set up play wey lead to goal.
Rashford link up with Robert Lewandowski and new signing Roony Bardghji to create di second goal for Barça in di 77th minute. Rashford make one sharp pass to Lewandowski, wey hold di ball well before passing to Bardghji, and di young Swede fire one fine shot into di bottom corner.
Fans dey happy with Rashford movement and im link-up play, even though e no score. One X post talk say e get 88% pass accuracy, one shot on target, and one key pass wey create chance.
But na di youngsters steal di show. Bardghji, wey just join from Copenhagen, score for im debut, and 17-year-old Pedro “Dro” Fernández, wey come in for Rashford for di 78th minute, seal di win with one fine volley from outside di box for di 87th minute. Rashford no play full match because, according to Flick, dem dey manage im fitness after one groin injury wey e suffer last season. Still, im short time on di pitch show say e fit become key player for Barça.
Fans on X dey talk plenty about Rashford debut. Some say e look sharp and hungry, with good passes and movement, but one fan jokingly say Flick sub am off after 34 minutes because e don see enough! Anoda fan praise im link-up with Lewandowski, and even di Polish striker talk say Rashford go help di team well because e fit play different positions.
Rashford himself talk say e enjoy di game and di fans, and e believe Flick go bring out di best in am. E say e like to play for left flank, and e dey excited to learn Barça style.
Di match show say Barça dey in good shape for di new season. Even though dem miss captain Marc-André ter Stegen, di team play with confidence, and di new signings like Rashford, Bardghji, and goalkeeper Joan Garcia show say dem fit add plenty quality. Di game also give fans glimpse of wetin to expect as Barça continue dia Asia tour with matches against FC Seoul and Daegu in South Korea.
Rashford performance na sign say e fit bring back im best form for Barça. With Flick coaching and stars like Lewandowski, Yamal, and Olmo around am, di England international get chance to shine again. Dis 3-1 win na just di beginning, and Barça fans dey hope say Rashford go bring more fire to di team as di season dey come.
Dis victory set good tone for Barça pre-season, and Rashford debut na one big step for am to settle into di Blaugrana way. As dem dey prepare for La Liga, di team look strong, and Rashford fit be di key to unlock more success for di Catalans.