Rashford's midweek heroics, a brace securing a 2-1 Champions League victory at Newcastle, were quickly forgotten. On 21/9, he was omitted from the starting lineup against Getafe at the Johan Cruyff stadium for arriving two minutes late to a tactical meeting that morning, according to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
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Rashford shields the ball after coming on in the second half of Barca's win over Getafe. Photo: Reuters |
Rashford shields the ball after coming on in the second half of Barca's win over Getafe. Photo: Reuters
This strict disciplinary approach has been a hallmark of manager Hansi Flick's tenure at Barca. In the past year, Inaki Pena, Jules Kounde, and Raphinha have all faced similar sanctions for tardiness.
This isn't Rashford's first such disciplinary action. In December 2022, then-Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag dropped him from the starting XI for oversleeping and being late to a meeting. He did, however, come off the bench to score the winning goal against Wolves.
Barca performed admirably without Rashford. Flick's team dominated possession (72%), registering 16 shots with 7 on target, compared to Getafe's 3 shots, also with 3 on target.
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Ferran Torres shone with a brace for Barca. Photo: Europa Press |
Ferran Torres shone with a brace for Barca. Photo: Europa Press
Ferran Torres, Rashford's replacement, seized the opportunity with a first-half brace. In the 15th minute, the Spanish forward opened the scoring with an angled shot following Dani Olmo's backheel. He doubled the lead in the 34th minute, slotting the ball past the Getafe goalkeeper from close range.
Torres has now scored 23 goals in 51 appearances for Barca under Flick, approaching his tally of 25 goals in 113 games under Xavi. During his time at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, he scored 16 goals in 43 matches.
Rashford's second-half introduction saw him immediately make an impact, assisting Olmo's tap-in to seal the 3-0 victory. This marked Olmo's first goal and assist in the same game for Barca, in his 45th appearance across all competitions.
The win moves Barca into second place in La Liga with 13 points, two behind Real Madrid. Flick's side next travels to Real Oviedo on 25/9.
Hong Duy
