Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford secured his first trophy with Barcelona on Sunday, as the Catalan side defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah. However, the forward's limited 15-minute appearance and a glaring miss in stoppage time have drawn criticism from Spanish media, while the standout performance of teammate Raphinha casts doubt on Rashford's future playing time.
Raphinha broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, but Real Madrid equalised through Vinicius Junior. Robert Lewandowski restored Barcelona's lead before half-time, only for Gonzalo Garcia to level again in added time. Raphinha then scored his second in the 73rd minute to secure the win. Rashford replaced the Brazilian in the 83rd minute but squandered a golden one-on-one chance against Thibaut Courtois in stoppage time after Frenkie de Jong was sent off.
Spanish publications were quick to highlight Rashford's missed opportunity. Marca noted: 'He had a clear chance in stoppage time but sent the ball wide.' Mundo Deportivo added: 'He missed a golden opportunity... then lost focus on the subsequent defensive support.' AS also remarked on the miss, calling it 'inexplicable.' In contrast, Raphinha received widespread praise, with Mundo Deportivo suggesting he is 'the player in the best form in the world right now' and AS declaring him 'a true superstar.'
The 29-year-old Raphinha, who also scored twice in the semi-final, has taken the left-wing position that Rashford typically favours. Reports indicate that Barcelona struggled during Raphinha's absence due to injury in September, winning only five of nine matches. This could spell trouble for Rashford, who is competing for minutes under manager Hansi Flick.
Despite the criticism, Sport offered a more generous assessment, noting that Rashford's runs 'helped the team gain some breathing room.' The Englishman will hope to build on this limited involvement as Barcelona continue their campaign.
