Rashford Debuts for Barcelona in Victory Over Vissel Kobe

Marcus Rashford marked his initial appearance for Barcelona in a friendly match against Japanese side Vissel Kobe at Misaki Park Stadium on Sunday, which concluded in a 3-1 victory for the Spanish team.

The English forward, on loan to Barcelona from Manchester United for the season, was introduced at halftime as one of eleven substitutions, participating for 33 minutes.

However, the 27-year-old, with a potential permanent transfer for £30.3m next summer, was replaced in the 78th minute by teenager Pedro Fernandez Sarmiento, who later scored Barcelona’s third goal.

In the first half, Barcelona took the lead after Tetsushi Yamakawa conceded a corner in the 33rd minute. Eric Garcia capitalized on the opportunity, scoring from inside the penalty area.

Vissel Kobe responded when Taisei Miyashiro equalized three minutes before halftime, following a midfield turnover by Pau Cubarsi that led to a counter-attack.

Swedish forward Roony Bardghji, a summer acquisition from Copenhagen, restored Barcelona’s lead. He scored off a precise pass from Lewandowski, directing the ball into the far post.

Pedro Fernandez then extended Barcelona’s lead in the 87th minute with a remarkable goal, making the score 3-1.

Earlier in the week, the match faced cancellation due to what Barcelona cited as “serious contractual breaches” by the promoter, but these issues were resolved, allowing the game to proceed.

This game was the first for Hanis Flick’s team since their final match of the 2024/25 season against Athletic Club at San Mamés, representing a 62-day interval between matches.