Barcelona Boss Hansi Flick Explains Why He Subbed Marcus Rashford Off at Half-Time vs Levante
- Marcus Rashford’s first start for Barcelona lasted just 45 minutes before being replaced at half-time
- Barcelona manager Hansi Flick insisted substituting the England forward was tactical, not performance-related
- Barcelona came from 2-0 down to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory over Levante in their second La Liga game
Marcus Rashford’s first start for Barcelona ended sooner than expected on Saturday night, as manager Hansi Flick decided to replace the England forward at half-time in their 3-2 comeback victory over Levante.
The 27-year-old, who fell out with Manchester United, had shown flashes of promise in the opening 45 minutes but was taken off at the break with Barca trailing 2-0.
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Rashford, who came off the bench in last week’s 3-0 win against Mallorca to make his La Liga debut, was handed a place in the starting line-up on the left wing.
With Raphinha deployed centrally behind Ferran Torres and teenage star Lamine Yamal on the right, the England international looked bright early on.
Rashford forced Levante goalkeeper Pablo Campos into a save and later nutmegged defender Roger Brugué to the delight of the Barcelona fans.
However, despite his efforts, Barcelona found themselves two goals down at half-time following Ivan Romero’s opener and a controversial penalty scored by Jose Luis Morales.
Flick makes bold changes
With Barcelona under pressure, Hansi Flick made two big substitutions at half-time, withdrawing Rashford for Dani Olmo and bringing on Gavi for Marc Casado, Daily Mail reported.
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The move paid off almost immediately, as Barcelona found its way back into the game through Pedri and Ferran Torres, who scored in quick succession to level the game.
In stoppage time, Unai Elgezabal’s own goal completed a dramatic turnaround, handing Barcelona a crucial three points and maintaining their unbeaten start to the La Liga season.
Flick explains reason for Rashford’s substitution
Speaking after the match, Flick defended his decision to substitute Rashford, insisting it was not a reflection of the forward’s performance but a tactical necessity, talkSPORT reports.
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“Of course, the second half, we have to change something,” Flick said.
“Raphinha on the left side is our No. 11. He knows everything about how we play, when he has to come inside. I think we got the right changes.
“When we scored the first goal so early in the second half, it helped us a lot and changed the strategy.”
Flick praises Rashford’s contribution
Despite the early withdrawal, Flick was keen to highlight Rashford’s positive moments during the game and expressed confidence in his ability to adapt to Barcelona’s system.
Rashford’s loan spell at Barcelona is still in its early stages, and fans will be eager to see how the England star responds in upcoming matches.
Flick’s explanation suggests Rashford, who is on loan from Manchester United with an option for a permanent £30 million move, still has a key role to play as the Catalan giants chase the La Liga and Champions League this season.
Rashford faces La Liga ban
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Barcelona faced a potential difficulty with Marcus Rashford being unable to play La Liga matches ahead of completing a season-long loan move to the club.
Rashford fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim after the Portuguese manager arrived in December, and he spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa.
Source: Legit.ng
