Marcus Rashford’s dreams of winning the biggest trophy in European football were dashed as Barcelona were ousted from the Champions League after a close aggregate loss to Atletico Madrid.
Although Hansi Flick’s squad won 2-1 on the night, Atletico, who have advanced to their first Champions League semifinal since 2017, won 3-2 overall after winning the first leg 2-0.
With Barcelona trying to win, Rashford emerged as a substitute in the second half but was unable to contribute significantly.
The England forward’s performance was subsequently criticized by Spanish media, with SPORT calling him “inoperative” and questioning his “character” at crucial points.
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“When Rashford came on, he didn’t contribute anything special,” they wrote. “He lacks the character to be decisive in crucial moments.”
Mundo Deportivo as cited by the Daily Express shared that view, maintaining he “failed to improve Barcelona in the final third,” while Football Espana observed he “looked off the pace,” handing him a modest 5.5/10 rating – below most of his colleagues.
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