1 week ago
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Marcus Rashford's first appearance in El Clasico ended on a sour note as Barcelona succumbed to a defeat against Real Madrid.
Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe scored the goals that secured a 2-1 win for Los Blancos on Sunday, extending their lead at the top of La Liga to five points. Former Liverpool player Trent Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, was left on the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury.
This marks Barcelona's second loss in three league games, leaving the team lagging behind in second place. However, it wasn't all bad news for Manchester United loanee Rashford, who was given a starting position and played a key role in setting up the visitors' only goal.
Rashford's smart manoeuvre down the left side of Real's penalty box and subsequent pass enabled Fermin Lopez to equalize in the 38th minute. This was undoubtedly the England international's standout moment before he was moved to a central attacking position following Ferran Torres' substitution.
Despite the disappointing result, Rashford received praise from some quarters of the Spanish media for his performance. His debut in one of football's most esteemed matches could have been significantly worse in retrospect.
"The Englishman had a good performance in his first Clasico," read Rashford's match performance review in AS. "He set up Fermin to equalize and worked hard in the pressing."
Barcelona went into Sunday's match without several key players. Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Gavi, and Dani Olmo were all absent from the attack and midfield alone.
Sport provided a glowing evaluation of Rashford's prospects ahead of his debut Clasico outing. The Catalan outlet lauded his performances thus far, stating the Red Devils outcast is "living the dream" since his arrival at the Camp Nou on a season-long loan.
"So much so that in the most-watched match on the planet, in the sporting event that generates the most passion and impact, he'll be a starter," read the report. "Rashford will have a starring role in a true Clasico. When the ball is kicked off, he'll be one of the surprise guests at the table for LaLiga's most important match.
"Predictably, with Ferran back in the starting lineup, he'll play on the left wing. A golden opportunity for the British icon to continue showing the world that he's back and on the right path."
Mundo Deportivo proved considerably more scathing of his showing and labelled the performance "baffling." An assist wasn't sufficient to identify greater positives in his contribution.
"His smart assist to Fermin...didn't fix a match in which he seemed capable of creating more danger than he did when he received the ball," it read. "He didn't make the most of his power when he had space. As a No. 9, he was worse than as a winger."
Elements of that assessment might seem severe considering Rashford's input surpassed that of most teammates.
However, Ruben Amorim will certainly concentrate on the encouraging aspects following Rashford's brace in a Champions League triumph over Olympiacos just days earlier.
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