Few who watched Barcelona’s extraordinary Champions League game at Benfica will think that the solution to any of the team’s problems is to add another attacker to the squad.
Especially since the last clean sheet the team recorded in La Liga was back in October — but here we are. The Catalans sealed their qualification for the Champions League round of 16 in a frantic match at Lisbon, where their forwards made the difference once again.
Robert Lewandowski scored two goals from the penalty spot to remain, with nine goals, as the competition’s top scorer this season. Behind him there is Raphinha, who also scored a brace, including a cracking 95th-minute winner at Estadio da Luz. Lamine Yamal had something of an quiet night, but still won a penalty for his team.
Barca are the top-scoring side in the Champions League with 26 goals in seven games, as well as in La Liga (52 in 20 games). In fact, no frontline in the top-five European leagues has scored more than Barcelona’s current tridente: Lewandowski, Raphinha and Yamal have an impressive 59 goals between across all competitions.
Somewhere in the middle of this is Marcus Rashford’s name. Barcelona are monitoring the situation of the Manchester United player, and last Tuesday club executives had a meeting in Portugal with the Englishman’s representatives to discuss a deal.
The whole operation has a financial edge that Barcelona need to assess. But given how prolific they’ve been, you might wonder if there’s any sporting reasoning when considering that deal.
In a way, there is.
Barcelona will need to sign a new striker sooner than later. Robert Lewandowski will turn 37 in August and though he is expected to have an optional additional season of his contract triggered based on minutes played this season, he is not going to last forever.
Here is where Rashford ticks some boxes for Barcelona. Being able to play across any position in the attacking third is a positive for Hansi Flick’s system, as well as having decent link-up play. Rashford is a naturally-gifted and unique talent, and it’s Deco’s duty to keep his eyes wide open with opportunities like this.
“If we can bolster the team in the final days of the window, maybe we will try it”, the Barcelona sporting director said to Spanish television Movistar when asked about Rashford before the Benfica match. “But right now there is nothing”.
“We are still keeping an eye on our financial fair play situation. Our priority is to secure the contract extensions of key players in our squad. If after that we can look at adding some new players, we might do it. But it’s not something that has been asked by our manager.”
That was a key revelation: Flick has not not requested Rashford’s signing. The financial dimension is important here as well. Barcelona can now sign players freely, after their VIP seating sale allowed them to balance their books with La Liga.
But Barca can’t do anything they want. According to club sources, their calculations are that once Dani Olmo and Pau Victor’s contracts are permanently registered with the club — which they expect to happen in three months — Barcelona’s outlay on player wages will be at the maximum figure they had budgeted.
In other words, to keep business sensible, Barca want to get some salaries off before adding new ones in. What happened in Benfica, however, will not help Rashford’s quest to join Barcelona.
That is because of the unexpected hero of the night: Eric Garcia. The 24-year-old centre-back came into the game with 16 minutes left, and changed the game — scoring an equaliser in the 86th minute.
(Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images)
“He is an important player to us,” said Flick on Garcia after the game. “He is a defender but can play in different positions on the pitch. I think he is one of the best in the squad with offensive headers, he reads timings very well so it’s not a surprise he joined the attack. Eric has a great mentality”.
Garcia was certainly one of the footballers tipped to potentially raise funds in this transfer window. Girona and Real Sociedad want to sign him, as well as Serie A side Como.
However, Flick is hesitant about selling the defender, given his tactical adaptability, how he balances the team and the work ethic he brings to the dressing room.
“I don’t think about Eric leaving in this January window, but I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Flick said three weeks ago about the player’s situation.
After what happened in Lisbon, Flick now has a stronger argument to keep the centre-back, and if Garcia does not leave, Rashford will most likely not head to Barcelona.
Plot twists can never be dismissed in a Barcelona transfer window, but the Benfica game may well have been a huge blow to any hopes of seeing Rashford at the club.
Not that this would have a massive impact on Flick’s plans — the Manchester United star would not arrive at the club in a position to be a starter, and instead would be competing with Ferran Torres as the team’s back-up plan.
The former Manchester City player has accepted this role, but would Rashford? Or is Barcelona simply the best escape route from an uncomfortable situation?
The coming days will resolve those questions, but Rashford to Barcelona continues to feel like an odd fit.
(Header photo: Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
