Barcelona still have some work to do if they’re to register loanee Marcus Rashford for the 2025–26 La Liga season, but the England international will have the summer to showcase his forgotten talents to a new set of supporters.

Hansi Flick’s squad flew out to Japan on Friday after their opening friendly of the summer against Vissel Kobe was temporarily thrust into doubt. At one stage, Barcelona were looking to host a fixture of their own in Catalonia, but the issue which convinced them to suspend Sunday’s game was solved in time for the contest to go ahead.

The J1 League leaders are far from a juggernaut, but they’re in midseason form and were a worthy test for the La Liga champions at the start of their preseason.

Barça’s 3–1 victory was pretty routine, and many would’ve been encouraged by the performances of the club’s new signings, including Rashford. Here’s how the winger fared on his Barcelona debut.

Marcus Rashford vs. Vissel Kobe

Barcelona’s new No. 14 was one of 11 changes Flick made for the second half, with Rashford replacing Raphinha down the left.

The Englishman was more inclined to hug the touchline compared to the Brazilian, who often slid inside and helped Barça form a box midfield to overwhelm Vissel Kobe centrally. Rashford also moved infield but rarely had the chance to receive possession on the back foot and drive at the Vissel defense.

However, there were certainly bright sparks for the Englishman, who brought down a Marc Casadó switch of play superbly and came close to sliding Robert Lewandowski in behind for a gilt-edge opportunity. Rashford also had the chance to restore Barcelona’s advantage in the game, but he didn’t connect as he would’ve liked with his first-time effort, which he aimed to curl past Shota Arai.

It had been a cameo of nearly moments for Rashford, but he did play a role in the go-ahead goal, which was scored by another debutant, Roony Bardghji. After picking up possession just inside the Barcelona half, Rashford smartly jinked infield and, this time, was successful in his attempt to feed Lewandowski in behind the Vissel backline with a pinpoint pass. The Polish striker then held the ball up well before teeing up Roony.

Immediately after, Flick opted to withdraw his new arrival for the final 15 minutes.

When Will Marcus Rashford Play Next For Barcelona?

There will be more chances for Rashford to impress after his bright debut.

After their stop-off in Japan, Barcelona will now head to South Korea for two more friendlies before returning home ahead of the start of the new La Liga season.

Rashford will likely next be in action when Barça take on FC Seoul on Thursday, July 31, with kick-off scheduled for 7 a.m. ET / 4 a.m. PT. Their tour concludes against Daegu on Monday, Aug. 4.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Marcus Rashford Fared On Barcelona Debut vs. Vissel Kobe.

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