MADRID — Barcelona are set to defend their La Liga crown with even more attacking ammunition after adding England forward Marcus Rashford to a goalscoring juggernaut that netted an eye-watering 174 goals in 60 matches last season.
The 27-year-old has arrived on a season-long loan from Manchester United, looking to revive his stalled career alongside teenage sensation Lamine Yamal in what promises to be one of Europe’s most explosive front lines.
Rashford, one of Europe’s top talents before falling out of favour at United and spending the latter part of last season on loan at Aston Villa, joins a stellar attacking cast featuring Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres.
He will wear the number 14 shirt, previously donned by Barca favourites including Thierry Henry and Javier Mascherano.
The firepower comes as Barcelona prepare for the new campaign under Hansi Flick, whose tactical revolution powered the Catalans to a remarkable domestic double built around 18-year-old Yamal, who took European football by storm after helping Spain win a record fourth European Championship.
Flick’s arrival in July 2024 following Xavi Hernandez’s bitter departure sparked a renaissance after years of management and financial struggles damaged Barca’s global image, including five straight seasons without a Champions League semi-final.
The German tactician, sacked as his national team’s coach in September 2023, orchestrated a stunning turnaround that saw Barcelona claim their 28th Spanish league title and the Copa del Rey, nearly reaching the Champions League final before losing in heartbreaking fashion to Inter Milan in extra time.
Their attacking display included 43 goals in 14 Champions League matches and an astonishing 102 in 38 La Liga games – 24 more than Real Madrid, who they beat in all four of their encounters last season, scoring 16 goals.
Flick’s entertainment-first approach helped Barca beat old rivals Real Madrid over four matches in a row across all competitions, reintroducing attacking verve to a club that treats total football as a religion.
