Marcus Rashford announced his arrival at Barcelona in emphatic fashion, striking twice to silence St James’ Park and crush Newcastle’s hopes of a dream Champions League homecoming.
With England manager Thomas Tuchel watching on, the 26-year-old forward proved the difference on a night filled with expectation. His quick-fire double muted the Toon Army and underlined why Barcelona swooped for the Manchester United loanee.
The atmosphere was electric before kickoff, with 50,000 Geordies eager to see their £69 million summer signing, Nick Woltemade, showcase his talent on the European stage. Instead, the German striker remained on the bench for over an hour—long enough for Rashford to take center stage.
The first came with a precise header, his maiden goal in Barca colors. Minutes later, he added a second, lashing in a shot that deflected onto the underside of the bar before bouncing over the line. It was a ruthless display from a player written off by former United boss Ruben Amorim, who had discarded him last season.
For Newcastle, the script evoked memories of Faustino Asprilla’s famous hat-trick against Barcelona back in 1997. But this time, the headlines belonged to Rashford, who looked every inch a Barcelona star and left both Amorim and Erik ten Hag—his previous manager at Old Trafford—facing fresh scrutiny.
Anthony Gordon’s late strike, his first in 20 matches, gave the Magpies brief hope as the game entered stoppage time. Yet Barcelona stood firm, denying Newcastle the fairytale return to Europe’s top competition they had longed for.
For Eddie Howe’s side, it was a sobering reminder of the challenges that come with dining at Europe’s top table. For Rashford, it was the perfect start to a new chapter.
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