Marcus Rashford gives Barcelona boss timely reminder after Champions League snub

Marcus Rashford made his mark despite being left on the bench for a crucial Barcelona game

Marcus Rashford gave Hansi Flick a reminder of his quality after starting on the Barcelona bench for the second straight game.

Following his goal off the bench in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Real Sociedad in La Liga, the Manchester United loanee was again named among the substitutes for Barcelona’s crucial Champions League clash away to Slavia Prague. Raphinha got the nod ahead of him on the left side of the front three but received mixed reviews for his performance.

With a point to prove, Rashford soon made an impact after replacing Roony Bardghji on 61 minutes, setting up Robert Lewandowski with a cross from the left for Barca’s game-clinching fourth in their 4-2 win.

It was the Polish legend’s first Champions League goal of the season at the right end, making it 15 straight campaigns in which he has netted in the competition. He had earlier scored an own goal to make it 2-2 just before half-time.

More importantly, it left Barcelona in ninth spot ahead of the final round of league games next week, when they host Copenhagen. A win could be enough to send them through to the last 16, bypassing the play-off round for the teams finishing ninth to 24th. Remarkably, they are one of eight teams on 13 points.

Rashford will be hoping to have done enough to force his way into Flick’s starting XI for both the Copenhagen game and, before that, Sunday’s home clash with Oviedo.

He impressed Spanish media with his cameo in Prague. Football Espana gave him 6.5/10 and said: “Fantastic assist for Lewandowski’s goal.”

The same website wasn’t enamoured with Raphinha, writing: “Another that was not at his best. Started on the left, before being switched to the right in the second half, but he was poor in both positions.”