Marcus Rashford’s Comeback
After recovering from illness, Marcus Rashford is set to make his comeback for Barcelona this week as they prepare for a crucial Champions League clash against Chelsea in London. The 28-year-old forward was sidelined during Barça’s impressive 4-0 LaLiga victory over Athletic Club at the Spotify Camp Nou on Saturday, following a bout of flu that prevented him from participating in training in the days leading up to the match.
Training and Performance
However, Rashford returned to practice with his teammates on both Sunday and Monday, positioning himself for selection in Hansi Flick’s squad for the upcoming encounter at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. This season, Rashford has been a standout performer for Barcelona in European competitions, having netted four goals and provided one assist across four appearances. Overall, he has accumulated six goals and eight assists in 16 matches for the Catalan club in all competitions.
Strategic Challenges for Hansi Flick
His reintegration into the lineup presents a strategic conundrum for Flick, especially as he begins to regain other key players from injury. Last week’s match saw Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, and Lamine Yamal feature as the attacking trio, while Raphinha made an impactful return from a two-month injury absence, coming on as a substitute.
With Rashford back, the head coach now faces the challenge of fitting five attacking options into just three available slots, especially as he has previously utilized Raphinha in a more central attacking role. Additionally, goalkeeper Joan García also made his return this weekend, contributing to the team’s first clean sheet since September, though injury concerns still linger around Pedri, Gavi, and Marc André ter Stegen. There is hope for Pedri to potentially rejoin the squad for their next home game against Alavés, but Gavi and Ter Stegen appear to be further from recovery.
Barcelona’s European Campaign
Barcelona will look to turn around their European campaign after a lackluster 3-3 draw against Club Brugge, currently sitting 11th in the standings with seven points from four matches, mirroring Chelsea’s position. A win on Tuesday would significantly aid their push for a top-eight finish in the tournament.
Contract News
In other news, Barcelona is reportedly nearing a new long-term contract for defender Eric García, whose current agreement is set to expire next summer. Recent talks have been fruitful, suggesting a renewal is on the horizon. García has emerged as a significant asset in the squad under Flick, contributing as both a central defender and a right-back, alongside his occasional role as a defensive midfielder. His renewal follows previous contract extensions for key players like Pedri, Gavi, and Frenkie de Jong, with sporting director Deco turning his attention next to Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen. Once García’s contract is finalized, he will join the ranks of these retained players, all whose agreements extend until 2026.
