CAMP NOU DREAM: MARCUS RASHFORD SET FOR LONG-AWAITED BARCELONA DEBUT
Marcus Rashford's dream of playing at Camp Nou for Barcelona could come true this weekend. The Man Utd loanee is eager to make his debut at the iconic stadium.
This weekend, Marcus Rashford might get to live out his dream of playing at Camp Nou. The Manchester United striker, currently on loan, has said before that he's always wanted to play in front of Barcelona's fans in their famous stadium. His time with the Spanish team began at the Olympic Stadium.
Barcelona hadn't played at Camp Nou since 2023, using the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium instead. Their home stadium is undergoing a big renovation project costing £1.3 billion. Last weekend, Rashford had to sit out Barca's return to Camp Nou because he was sick.
Barca celebrated their return to Camp Nou by beating Athletic Bilbao 3-0, but Rashford could only watch. He's said that one reason he wanted to join Barcelona on loan was the chance to play at the iconic stadium.
Now, he might finally get that chance when Barcelona plays Alaves in La Liga on Saturday. When he joined Barca, Rashford commented, It feels great. It’s a beautiful stadium, and it’s going to be amazing when it’s full. Camp Nou has always been one of my favourite stadiums, and I've always wanted to play there.
He added, Playing there for Barcelona will be something else. I can't wait to get on the field. I’m really going to enjoy it.”
The renovation is set to be done in 2027, increasing the stadium's capacity to 105,000, which would make it the fifth-largest stadium in the world. Barcelona has also asked UEFA for permission to move its remaining Champions League home games back to Camp Nou this season.
So far this season, Rashford has scored six goals and made nine assists in 17 games in all competitions. Barcelona is currently three points behind Real Madrid in La Liga.
After a rough end to his time at Old Trafford due to a strained relationship with United manager Ruben Amorim, the 28-year-old has made a good start with his change of scenery.
The Spanish media have praised Rashford, both for his performance on the field and for how well he's settled into his new life in Catalonia. Rashford seems to be enjoying his time in Spain.
When ESPN asked if he wanted to stay at Barcelona permanently, he said, Oh yeah, for sure.
He added, I’m enjoying being at this football club, and for anyone who loves football, Barcelona is one of the most important clubs in the history of the game. It's an honour for a player to be here.
BARTOMEU UNCOVERS SECRET 2017 MBAPPé BID DURING REVEALING CADENA SER INTERVIEW
Josep Maria Bartomeu reveals Barcelona targeted Kylian Mbappé in 2017, but coaches preferred a move for Ousmane Dembélé instead
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has just dropped a bit of a bombshell: right after Neymar left for PSG, Barcelona actually went after Kylian Mbappe. That chaotic summer in 2017, when Neymar's record-breaking move sent shockwaves through the club, left them scrambling for a new superstar.
Bartomeu admitted in an interview with SER that Neymar’s shock exit caught everyone off guard. “Neymar’s departure came as a shock to the club; we didn’t want him to leave,” he said. Suddenly, Barcelona was scouring the market for big names, and with Mbappe starring at Monaco, he became their top target.
But here’s the twist: even though the club reached out for both Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, the coaching staff made the final call. Bartomeu explained, “We made an offer for Mbappe and another for Dembele. The coaching staff preferred Dembele.” So, instead of pushing for Mbappe, Barcelona pressed ahead with Dembele, ultimately striking a deal with Borussia Dortmund worth €105 million plus add-ons.
Of course, there was the small matter of money, too. Bartomeu clarified that the price Monaco set for Mbappe was simply out of reach: €180 million, take it or leave it, and it was PSG who could step up. “It wasn’t an offer in the strict sense. They would say to you, "He's worth €180 million." If you want Mbappe, it’s €180 million, and Paris paid it.” Between the steep price and the coaching staff’s strong preference for Dembele, Barcelona backed off.
Bartomeu also opened up about how he handled transfers during his tenure. One thing stood out: after he pushed for the Luis Suarez signing from Liverpool despite all the controversy and got hammered with criticism, he decided to step back and trust the technical staff from then on. Suarez went on to win the Champions League and four La Liga titles with Barcelona, but that experience taught Bartomeu a lesson. “The only decision I made as president or as an administrator, and which I defended vigorously, was the signing of Suarez,” he said. “I was heavily criticised by all the media, so I learned the lesson that the president or administrators cannot interfere in sporting matters. We must trust the technical staff, the sporting directors, and the coaches; it is they who decide on signings.”
BARCELONA SECURE 14-POINT LEAD OVER MADRID; ESPANYOL RESULT NOW DETERMINES TITLE
Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres scored late to move Barcelona 14 points clear, leaving them one Madrid loss from the title.
Barcelona now sit 14 points ahead of Real Madrid, and if Madrid slips up against Espanyol on Sunday, the title’s theirs.
Lewandowski finally broke the deadlock after 81 minutes, nodding in a header, and Torres added another four minutes from the end. Osasuna didn't quit, though Raul Garcia pulled one back late, but Barcelona held on for all three points. They’re inching closer to a second league title in a row, the club’s 29th overall.
If Madrid beats Espanyol, Barcelona’s next chance to seal it comes in the Clásico on May 10 against their biggest rivals.
Flick’s trying to keep his team’s focus on the next match rather than the Clasico, but Barcelona played the first half like a squad with little to lose. Missing the injured Lamine Yamal, they lost a chunk of their energy on the attack. Sure, they dominated possession, but breaking down Osasuna for real chances? That was tough.
Roony Bardghji, filling in for Yamal on the right, managed a decent long shot, but Osasuna’s keeper, Sergio Herrera, had no trouble stopping it. Honestly, Osasuna nearly shocked everyone before halftime. Ante Budimir battled through two defenders and poked the ball off the post.
Barcelona picked up the pace after the break. Dani Olmo should’ve scored from close range, but he fluffed it. Flick then rolled the dice from the bench, bringing on three subs, including Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, to take over the right flank.
Rashford almost made an immediate impact, curling a shot just over and injecting some much-needed speed. He set up the opener too, swinging in a perfect cross for Lewandowski, who lost his marker and buried his header. Torres, another sub, finished with precision to double the lead.
Still, it wasn’t comfortable. Garcia scored for Osasuna in stoppage time, left wide open in the box, forcing Barcelona to sweat out the last minutes. The Catalans dug in, clearing everything in sight as Osasuna pressed, but finally, they held on for their tenth league win in a row. Now, all they can do is wait.
