BARCELONA coach Hansi Flick has urged Marcus Rashford to seize his opportunity to impress during the injured Lamine Yamal’s absence.
The Spanish champions begin their Champions League campaign with an away match against Newcastle on Thursday.
Flick’s team suffered a dramatic 7-6 aggregate semi-final defeat to Inter Milan last season.
They are considered among the favourites to win the competition this year partly due to Yamal’s emergence as a world-class talent.
The 18-year-old will miss the trip to St James’ Park because of a groin injury.
Rashford is aiming to revitalise his career through a loan spell at Barcelona after losing favour with Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.
The 27-year-old forward scored for England in a 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Serbia last week.
Flick expressed encouragement about Rashford’s initial adaptation to life in Spain.
Rashford has yet to score for his new club but provided an assist for Raphinha in Sunday’s 6-0 win against Valencia.
The former Bayern Munich manager revealed his long-standing admiration for the English international.
Flick described Rashford as an unbelievable player with exceptional speed and one-on-one abilities.
He praised the forward’s finishing as unbelievable and expressed confidence in his untapped potential.
The German coach expressed delight at having Rashford in his squad for the crucial European fixture.
Barcelona have not won the Champions League for ten years despite their rich history in the competition.
Flick acknowledged the overwhelming demand from everyone at the club to end that drought.
The manager emphasised the team’s daily commitment to improvement throughout the season.
Barcelona will also be without the injured Alejandro Balde and Gavi for their visit to Tyneside. – AFP