FC Barcelona took three golden points from Balaídos thanks to another good performance from Marcus Rashford. Against Celta de Vigo (2-4), the English international was decisive on the left, providing a couple of assists to Robert Lewandowski that paved the way to victory for Hansi Flick's men.
Although the '14' was not sharp in finishing, his left foot remains a guarantee when delivering crosses into the box, both from open play and set pieces. In the 37th minute, **a cross from 'Rashy' from the flank** allowed Lewandowski to anticipate the Galician defenders and finish with one touch past goalkeeper Radu.
Then, in the 73rd minute, a corner from the left taken by the '14' led to the Pole's third goal of the night, this time with a header perfectly directed to the furthest post from the Romanian goalkeeper. Marcus also participated in the partial 2-3 scored by Lamine Yamal in the 45+4th minute.
The English winger tried to set up the player from Mataró with a low pass that was half-intercepted by Ilaix Moriba. The ball finally fell to Lamine, who finished with a left-footed blast that caught Radu off guard.
Marcus Rashford: 8 assists in 25/26 and leader in LaLiga
This last action did not count as an assist, but the Manchester player already leads Barça and LaLiga in this category. Rashford has 8 assists in 16 games this season, 6 of them in the Spanish First Division. Luis Milla (Getafe) also has 6 assists, one more than Arda Güler (Real Madrid).
Marcus has accumulated 14 direct goal contributions, as he has also scored 6 goals, the same as Lamine and Fermín López. The Huelva-born player also has 4 assists, two more than the '10'. Yamal, it is true, played only 11 of Barça's 16 matches in 25/26.
'Rashy', on the other hand, saw minutes in all matches this season, with **a total of 13 starts**. With **Raphinha** out due to injury, the '14' has cemented his place in Flick's lineup, who considers him a very important player thanks to his versatility and understanding of the game.And that's because, while Barça's forwards have fallen short in pressing the opponent on the way out, there's nothing to criticize in attack. The team has scored 44 goals in 16 games, 2.74 per 90 minutes. In 24/25, the average was 2.88, after 173 goals in 60 appearances.
Raphinha vs Rashford, the decision Flick must make after the break
In principle, Raphinha should be medically cleared next week and be available for LaLiga matchday 13 against Athletic. The Brazilian's return could force Hansi Flick to return Marcus Rashford to the bench, as both players, while capable of adapting to other positions, perform better as left wingers
Rapha, before getting injured, contributed 3 goals and 2 assists in 7 games. The '11's' start to the season was somewhat hesitant after scoring 34 goals and providing 23 assists the previous season, but the Porto Alegre native, once fully recovered, should return to being a regular starter.
Fermín López and Dani Olmo continue to alternate in the attacking midfield position, where the South American forward also has experience. With Lamine Yamal untouchable on the right (Roony Bardghji is his backup) and the duo of Ferran Torres-Robert Lewandowski battling for the starting striker spot, Rashford will have no choice but to fight head-to-head with Raphinha for his position.