Marcus Rashford Ends Barcelona's Free-Kick Curse in Champions League Triumph
While Manchester United continue their quest to return to the Champions League through domestic performances, they currently have a notable representative in this season's competition via Marcus Rashford. The academy graduate, currently on loan at Barcelona with a potential permanent transfer looming this summer, once again found the net during Wednesday evening's crucial European fixture.
Vital Contribution in Comeback Victory
Rashford entered the match as a substitute with approximately twenty minutes remaining and secured Barcelona's fourth goal as they overturned a deficit to claim a 4-1 victory against FC Copenhagen in their final league phase encounter. This result proved essential in securing direct passage to the round of sixteen, thereby avoiding an additional play-off round. Barcelona will now face either Monaco, Qarabag, Paris Saint-Germain, or Newcastle United in the next stage.
Viktor Dadason had given Copenhagen an early lead at Camp Nou, which they maintained until halftime. However, second-half strikes from Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha shifted momentum back in Barcelona's favour before Rashford came off the bench to beat Copenhagen goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski with a late free-kick.
"We try to bring our best performances in the competition and we try to win," Rashford stated following the victory. "So I think this is the aim for a club like Barca and we have this mentality to win all the games that we can, so we'll do our best to do this."
Historical Significance of Rashford's Strike
Rashford's spectacular free-kick marked his fifth Champions League goal of the campaign, placing him level with Fermin Lopez as Barcelona's joint-leading scorer in the competition this season. More significantly, this represented the first occasion any Barcelona player had netted a direct free-kick in the Champions League since 2019, when Lionel Messi found the net during the opening leg of their semi-final clash against Liverpool.
Spanish publication AS highlighted that Barcelona had attempted fifty free-kicks between those two successful strikes, underscoring the rarity of such achievements since Messi's departure. This milestone effectively ends what had become known as Barcelona's free-kick curse in European competition.
Spanish Media Reaction and Analysis
Rashford's performance captured significant attention from the Spanish press following the match, with several publications offering detailed analysis of both his contribution and Barcelona's overall display.
In Marca, Fernando Carnerero suggested that while Barcelona continues to achieve season objectives with steady progress, concerns remain about whether this level of performance will suffice against stronger opponents in the knockout rounds. "Barca continues to achieve its season objectives with a steady hand, though not without some struggles," Carnerero wrote. "While some concerns remain, such as the excessive number of goals conceded, their attacking prowess minimizes this problem and gets them out of many tight spots."
Mundo Deportivo described Rashford's free-kick as "spectacular" while noting that the comeback triumph was primarily attributable to "The talent and brilliance of Lamine [Yamal], who carried the team on his shoulders." The publication awarded player ratings for Barcelona's squad, with Rashford earning the label 'sniper' after converting that crucial late set-piece.
AS provided particularly insightful commentary, with Santi Gimenez noting that "Barca continued their search for goals and Rashford managed to break the curse of direct free-kick goals since Messi left." Sergi de Juan elaborated further, writing: "Marcus Rashford achieved against Copenhagen what seemed impossible at Barcelona since Leo Messi's departure: scoring a free kick. The English striker had already proven himself a specialist in this type of play at Manchester United, but he hadn't yet had the opportunity to score one for the Catalan club."
Looking Ahead to the Knockout Stages
Sport highlighted Rashford's previous double against Newcastle in September when discussing Barcelona's potential round of sixteen opponents. "Real Madrid will be worn down for two weeks (in the play-offs), while Barça can rest while awaiting the round of sixteen," journalist Ferran Correas noted. "The Blaugrana know the names of the four teams they could face in the round of sixteen, including a tough opponent like the current champions, PSG. The other three are Newcastle, whom they already defeated away in the first match of this stage with a great performance from Rashford, Monaco, and Qarabag."
Jordi Gil made special mention of Rashford's late goal in the same publication, writing: "It was just a matter of running down the clock to secure a well-deserved European qualification in a Champions League that, in its first phase, has left a very positive impression. And even more so with Rashford's late free-kick goal."
The round of sixteen now presents Rashford with potential opportunities to impress against familiar opposition, particularly if Barcelona draw Newcastle United, against whom he previously demonstrated his capabilities. As Barcelona advance in the competition, Rashford's growing influence and his historic free-kick achievement suggest he may play an increasingly significant role in their Champions League aspirations.
