Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has revealed that Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford will need to adapt to a different role at the Catalan club following his summer move.
Flick explained his decision to deploy the England international as a striker during Barcelona's impressive 5-0 pre-season friendly victory over Daegu, where Rashford scored his first goal for the club.
Rashford joined Barcelona on a season-long loan from Manchester United this summer, with the Catalans having an option to make the move permanent for €30 million at the end of the season.
The 26-year-old made his Barcelona debut on July 27 as a substitute in their 3-1 win over Vissel Kobe. However, it was in the match against Daegu where Flick experimented with Rashford's position, bringing him on at halftime to replace Robert Lewandowski in the central striker role.
Rashford, who has predominantly played as a winger throughout his career, adapted well to the number 9 position and found the net in the 65th minute to cap off Barcelona's commanding victory.
Speaking after the match, Flick explained the tactical decision: "He can play at number 9 or number 11. We changed it because we had to be careful with Ferrán. We wanted to see how he adapted to the position."
While Ferran Torres is currently considered the backup striker to Lewandowski, Rashford's successful adaptation to the central role could prove valuable for Barcelona, especially with the Polish international approaching the latter stages of his career.
This positional flexibility could be key to Rashford's success at Camp Nou, potentially offering Flick multiple tactical options as Barcelona prepare for the upcoming season.
The early signs suggest Rashford is settling well at Barcelona, with his goal-scoring debut in a new position highlighting his adaptability and potential value to the team.
Stay updated with the latest sports news by following BenriNews on our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
