Barcelona’s Sporting Director, Deco, has come right out and said it: Aston Villa pulled out all the stops to keep Marcus Rashford after his loan spell last season. He sat down with Sport, a Spanish outlet, and didn’t hold back about what really happened during the summer transfer window.

Rashford joined Unai Emery’s squad for the back half of last year, and, honestly, he lit things up. He just clicked right away. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s ex-boss, Ruben Amorim, never saw Rashford fitting into his plans at Old Trafford.

So, what did Villa do? They went all in. They really tried to make the deal permanent. But it didn’t matter. Rashford had already set his sights on Barcelona. Once he decided, Villa’s hopes were pretty much dead. Barcelona swooped in, worked out a season-long loan with an option to buy, and that was that.

Deco didn’t sugarcoat it. “It wasn’t easy to get him here. He’s a top player, used to big expectations at Manchester United,” he said. “He did great at Aston Villa. They wanted to keep him, I know, because I’ve talked to people there. But he only wanted Barca. That’s a big plus for us.”

He pointed out that Rashford even agreed to lower his salary just to make the move happen. “That tells you everything about his motivation,” Deco added. “We’re thrilled. He brings so much to our team.”

So how did Villa take it? Honestly, losing a player like Rashford stings badly. Unai Emery had a game-changer on his hands, and you could see it. Four goals and six assists in just 17 games. He picked up the system fast and gave Villa the pace and width they needed, and the team looked sharper for it. But now, with Rashford gone, Villa suddenly have a huge gap up front. For a club trying to prove they belong with England’s best, missing out on a player like this one who already fits right in feels like a real setback. And sure, the decision was Rashford’s, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

There’s a twist, too: Rashford looks like a different player in Spain. The contrast between his final days at Manchester United and his impact at Barcelona is pretty striking. He’s already chalked up 10 goals and 13 assists in 34 matches. It’s clear he’s thriving again.

Deco made a point of saying Rashford wanted out of Manchester so badly that he took a pay cut. Villa spotted his potential and helped him get his confidence back, only for Barcelona to snatch him away. If Barca end up making the move permanent, Villa fans are always going to wonder what could have been. In the end, it all came down to Rashford’s dream of wearing that famous Barcelona shirt.

Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal found himself on the wrong end of Diego Simeone’s taunting during a Copa del Rey nightmare against Atletico Madrid. Hansi Flick’s team, sitting at the top of La Liga, went into halftime already four goals behind in the first leg, and Simeone made sure Yamal was well aware of the score.

Right from the start, Atletico came out flying. Eric Garcia accidentally put the ball into his own net within seven minutes. Antoine Griezmann, who used to play for Barcelona, made it 2-0 just a few minutes later.

Then, Ademola Lookman, who just joined Atletico in January, made it three just after the half-hour mark. Simeone, never one to hide his emotions, dashed down the touchline to celebrate. As he headed back to his spot, Yamal happened to walk by, and Simeone flashed three fingers at him, grinning from ear to ear.

Things only got worse for Barcelona before the break. Julian Alvarez, who’s been in the headlines lately with transfer rumours, scored a fourth in stoppage time. With that kind of lead, Atletico has one foot in the next round heading into the return leg at Camp Nou on March 4.

So, how do you stop a kid like Yamal? Simeone seems to think a little psychological warfare goes a long way. Girona’s coach, Michel, agrees. Ahead of their own clash with Barcelona, Michel talked about how much of a threat Yamal is, especially on the right side. According to him, Yamal isn’t just a flashy dribbler. He’s got vision and can pick out a pass most teenagers wouldn’t even see. Give him a sliver of space; he’ll find a teammate. Get too close, and he’ll dance right past you.

Michel didn’t want to reveal too much, but he made it pretty clear: sometimes you just have to make life uncomfortable for Yamal. Get under his skin. Make him work for every inch.

Against Atletico, that strategy worked. Barcelona did manage to get the ball in the net once when Pau Cabarsi scrambled it over the line, but after a painfully long eight-minute VAR check, the goal was chalked off thanks to a glitch in the offside technology. It just wasn’t their night.

Simeone, buzzing after the win, told reporters, “Our fans needed a night like this. We know who we’re up against, and there’s still a long way to go before the next game. But tonight, this was something special for our people. They deserved it.”