Sometimes, all a player needs is a new setting. For Marcus Rashford, that setting happens to be sunny Catalonia. After an underwhelming 2024/25 season that saw him shuffle between Manchester United and a short loan spell at Aston Villa, Rashford’s arrival at FC Barcelona for the 2025/26 campaign has been nothing short of rejuvenating. And the numbers agree.
Embed from Getty ImagesLast season, Rashford played 41 games, scoring 11 goals and assisting 9 across all competitions. His minutes per goal contribution stood at 222, a decent but far cry from his explosive 2022/23 peak. By the end of the campaign, his market value had dipped into the €40 million range. It is respectable, but worrying for a player once seen as United’s talisman.
At Villa, his Champions League run offered brief flashes (two assists in four games), but inconsistency and confidence issues followed him. Many fans had written him off as another case of wasted potential.
Fast forward to autumn 2025, and Rashford is now one of Barcelona’s quiet success stories. In 10 appearances so far, he’s tallied 3 goals and 4 assists. That’s one goal involvement every 58 minutes.
Embed from Getty ImagesBut the real story lies in how he’s changed how he plays.
Compared to last season, his shot volume has increased from 2.8 to 3.7 per 90 (93rd percentile among forwards), while his assists per 90 jumped from 0.40 to 0.58. His pass completion rate also rose from 76% to 80%, showing improved efficiency in link-up play. This is something Barcelona’s positional system demands.
He’s making more progressive carries (5.63 vs 3.69) and receiving more passes in attacking zones (12.6 vs 9.3), suggesting a more advanced, confident role.
This Rashford isn’t hugging the touchline anymore, like we knew him to be, he’s attacking space between defenders, something Flick’s system encourages.
Embed from Getty ImagesInterestingly, his non-penalty xG (0.25) and xAG (0.27) combine for a robust 0.54 expected goal contribution per 90, mirroring elite-tier wide forwards. His shot-creating actions are up to 6.21 per 90, a strong indicator of involvement in every phase of attack.
Defensively, he’s still Rashford, tackling numbers (0.19 per 90) remain low but Barcelona don’t need him chasing full-backs. They need him finishing moves, breaking lines, and thriving in transition.
It’s early days, but this version of Rashford looks data-backed and mentally recharged. The flair is back, the output is ticking upward, and for once, the numbers match the optimism.
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Pejuola Ransome
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