Marcus Rashford will look to redeem his missed opportunities from the first leg when Barcelona face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final second leg on Tuesday.
The England international had several chances in the first leg but failed to convert, as Barcelona suffered a 2–0 defeat in a frustrating night in Europe. Despite that, he remained one of the team’s brightest attacking outlets.
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Rashford, who is on loan from Manchester United, now faces a crucial opportunity to influence Barcelona’s push for a comeback in Madrid, with his long-term future at the club still undecided.
The 28-year-old is yet to see Barcelona activate the €30 million purchase option in his loan deal, with performances in key matches expected to play a decisive role.
With Raphinha sidelined through injury, Rashford has become a key option on the left flank under manager Hansi Flick.
In the first leg, he repeatedly troubled Atletico defender Nahuel Molina with his pace but was unable to finish the chances created.
“This team is always going to create chances… today the goal didn’t go in, but we can’t shy away from the responsibility,” Rashford said after the match. “On another day, on another night, they go in.”
He was rested for Barcelona’s 4–1 La Liga win over Espanyol at the weekend, coming off the bench to score a late goal that Flick described as “very important” for his confidence.
Rashford had already scored against Atletico at the Metropolitano earlier this month, adding further intrigue to the third meeting between the sides in less than two weeks.
So far this season, he has scored six goals in 26 La Liga appearances and five goals in 10 Champions League matches, underlining his mixed but impactful form in Europe.
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