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BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
El Classico: The beautiful game in a city of resistance
Barcelona is one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in Europe. The city is also best known for its football team, Barcelona FC. Reporter Emeline Nosing Nkosi visits the city for El Clásico. A clash between Spain's two fierce rival teams Barcelona FC and Real Madrid, rooted in the culture and history of Spain. This video is from The Travel Show, the BBC's flagship travel programme.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Why Marcus Rashford's Move To Barcelona Is A Win-Win For All Involved
BARCELONA, SPAIN - JULY 23: English forward Marcus Rashford who joined Barcelona on loan from ... More Manchester United holds up his new jersey during his official presentation at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain on July 23, 2025. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images) Marcus Rashford's move to Barcelona falls into that all too rare category of football transfers as it represents a win-win scenario for all parties involved. The LaLiga giants completed the signing of the England international on loan last week, in a deal that includes an option to buy for £26m ($35m). Barcelona had been looking to add an experienced player to their squad as cover for both the left wing and centre-forward position and Rashford, who made his debut on Sunday in a friendly against Japanese side Vissel Kobe, fits the profile. The Catalans had made Athletic Club winger Inaki Williams their main target and were ready to trigger his £50.3m ($67.9m) release clause. Despite agreeing personal terms with the club and the player, Barcelona pulled out of the deal after Williams demanded an exit clause to be included in the contract, should the Catalans fail to register him with LaLiga. With Liverpool's £87m ($117m) valuation of Luis Diaz considered too steep, Barcelona diverted their attention to Rashford. Significantly cheaper than Williams and Diaz, the 27-year-old is a calculated gamble for the Catalans. Should Rashford rediscover the form that had made him one of the most in-demand forwards in European football five years ago, Barcelona will have a real asset on their hands. Conversely, should he continue to struggle as he did at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, Barcelona can ship him back to Old Trafford at the end of the season. The deal is also major success for Rashford and United. The former had wanted to leave his boyhood club after falling out with Amorim, while United were eager to get his £325,000-a-week ($438,000) salary off the books. 'I want to win the biggest trophies and feel like Barcelona is a huge club in the football world so it is the perfect place,' Rashford said at his unveiling by the Spanish club. 'You see with the team last season, they have a young ambitious team and I want to add my qualities, my personality, improve the team and help them win. 'It's a club where people's dreams come true and they win big prizes. And what the club stands for really means a lot to me as well. It feels like home and this is a big factor in my choice to come here.' Can Marcus Rashford rediscover his form? MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 07: Marcus Rashford of Manchester United looks dejected after the ... More Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Old Trafford on December 07, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images) Rashford moved to Aston Villa on loan in January, scoring four goals and providing six assists in 17 appearances in all competitions and returning to the England squad in March. He started each of the four Champions League fixtures he played at Villa, but was in the starting XI in only four of his 10 appearances in the Premier League before a hamstring injury brought his season to a premature end in May. Villa had an option to buy Rashford for £40m ($50.3m), but failure to qualify for the Champions League and their precarious financial position in terms of the Premier League's Profity and Sustainability Rules (PSR) meant they decided against it. For his part, Rashford had long indicated Barcelona was his dream move and he becomes the first British player to join the Blaugrana since Mark Hughes and Gary Lineker signed from United and Everton respectively in 1986, He was linked with a move to the Camp Nou back in 2019 and again in 2022, when his stock was far higher than it is now. A loan move to Catalonia was mooted in January, but never materialized. 'I was clear on my preference from the beginning. It didn't work out in January so I went to Aston Villa and enjoyed a good period there," he said. "I'm very grateful for the opportunity to play there. The summer came around very quickly, it was time to make another decision. "My choice was easy. It's a family club, something I'm used to from my past.' Rashford scored 30 goals in all competitions in the 2022-23 season, but hasn't hit the double-digit mark in terms of Premier League goals in the past two campaigns. He scored seven goals in all competitions for United last term, but last featured in the Europa League against Viktoria Plzen on December 12. Amorim subsequently criticized his perceived lack of effort and once Rashford returned to Manchester earlier this summer, he was one five players along with Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia told to train away from the first squad. United, meanwhile, took the No10 jersey off Rashford and handed it to new signing Matheus Cunha, who arrived from Wolverhampton in June after they triggered his £62.5m ($83.7m) release clause. It is a dramatic fall from grace for the 27-year-old, who signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford in 2023 after hitting a career-best 30 goals in all competitions only two years ago. 'The situation with United is, the club is in a period of change and they have been for a while,' Rashford said of United during his presentation in Barcelona. 'I don't have anything bad to say about Manchester United, it's been an important part of not only my career but my life. "I am grateful for the opportunity to play for them but football is the same as life and not everything goes as simply as you may have thought. 'I just wish them all the best. I hope they are successful in the future.' Will Barcelona be able to register Marcus Rashford? KOBE, JAPAN - JULY 27: Marcus Rashford #14 of Barcelona looks on during the preseason friendly ... More between Vissel Kobe and FC Barcelona at Noevir Stadium Kobe on July 27, 2025 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. (Photo by) While Rashford's move to Catalonia suits all parties, Barcelona face a more immediate problem in the shape of being able to register him. The Spanish giants have had longstanding issues registering players due to LaLiga's strict financial regulations. Last year, the Spanish government had to intervene to allow Barcelona to complete the registration of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor. LaLiga maintains that Barcelona are over their salary limit, as they have spent more on transfer and wages last season than they made in revenue. In theory at least, that means Rashford cannot be registered to play this season and neither can fellow new signings Joan Garcia, Wojciech Szczesny and Roony Bardghji. It is why Williams wanted an exit clause included in his deal, which Barcelona sporting director Deco refused. Barcelona can now either move some of their high earners off the books or find some new revenue streams to allow them to register their new signings. Players who are not registered with LaLiga cannot play in any domestic competition in Spain, nor in the Champions League. Over the years, Barcelona have pulled several 'financial levers' to increase revenue, the latest being the sale of 25 years of future income from 475 VIP boxes at the Camp Nou - whose reconstruction is still not complete - back in December.
France 24
4 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Rashford makes Barcelona debut in Japan friendly win
The English forward joined the Spanish champions on loan from boyhood club Manchester United this week and was thrust into action against Kobe in the second half. Barcelona had initially cancelled the match on Wednesday, citing unspecified "serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promoter". But the friendly went ahead and Eric Garcia opened the scoring in the first half for the visitors before Taisei Miyashiro equalised for the J. League team that retired Barca star Andres Iniesta once played for. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick changed his line-up at half-time and new signing Roony Bardghji restored their lead in the 77th minute. Pedro Fernandez added a third in the 87th minute. Barcelona are paying around 75 percent of Rashford's £325,000-a-week wage ($435,000) while he is at the club, with the player foregoing the rest, according to Spanish reports. The 27-year-old England international was out of favour under United coach Ruben Amorim and spent the final months of the 2024/25 season on loan at Aston Villa.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Marcus Rashford 'reunites with ex-fiancée Lucia Loi' as she 'supports him in big move'
England star Marcus Rashford has reported reignited his romance with his ex-fiancée Lucia Loi, as she was spotted supporting him as he signed with Barcelona FC, reports claim Football star Marcus Rashford has reportedly rekindled his romance with his ex-fiancée Lucia Loi as she was spotted supporting him as he made a big move. The Manchester United ace, 27, was spotted with his childhood sweetheart Lucia, 26, as he signed with Barcelona FC, according to reports. It has been claimed the pair were together during a photoshoot shortly before Marcus' signing was unveiled at Camp Nou stadium. Marcus is now on a season-long loan to the La Liga club from Manchester United. The news was announced on Barcelona FC's Instagram page in a video where he is seen speaking on the phone in a traditional London telephone booth, as he says: "It's official". Ahead of the new chapter for the football star, Marcus' ex was spotted at the photoshoot for his unveiling. The Sun reports Lucia took Marcus' photo and moved behind him to take another and checked his shirt before he posed alongside a British red phone box. Meanwhile, it's also been claimed Rashford has asked Lucia to help him settle into life in Spain in order for him to focus on his football. The on-off couple are said to have stayed close following their split, and have grown increasingly close in recent times. A source claimed to the publication: "Marcus knows that some of the best moments in his career have occurred when Lucia has been at his side. "They got together when they were very young and have had ups and downs, but a friendship has always remained. "He knows that she is good for him and she is one of the few people in the world he knows has got his best interests at heart." Meanwhile, the source also claimed Lucia is "very sensible" and helps to keep the football star "grounded". Rashford met childhood sweetheart Lucia in school and the pair dated for around eight years before splitting in May 2021. They rekindled their romance in 2022 and later that same year, Rashford popped the question to Lucia in Los Angeles. However, the pair's romance ended once again in June 2023 with Marcus reportedly going on to date Love Island star Grace Jackson, before things fizzled out at the end of 2024. The reported rekindling of Marcus and Lucia's romance comes at a big time in Rashford's career as he's the first England international to sign for Barcelona since Gary Lineker in 1986. Speaking on Barcelona's YouTube channel, Marcus said: "I'm very excited. It's a club where people's dreams come true, they win big prizes. "What the club stands for means a lot for me. I feel like I'm at home and a big factor in my choice to come here is because it is a family place and a good place for good players to showcase their skills. "Another factor is because the conversations I had with [Hansi Flick] were positive. What he did last season was terrific. To lead such a young team to a very successful season and come back to pre-season and still want to do more, it shows me everything I thought I knew about the club and it's everything I wished. I'm eager to learn the Barcelona way."
Reuters
23-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
'It feels like home': Rashford joins Barcelona on loan from Man United
July 23 (Reuters) - England forward Marcus Rashford said Barcelona was a club where "dreams come true" as he joined the LaLiga champions on Wednesday on a season-long loan from Manchester United with an option to buy. Media reports said that Barcelona would cover Rashford's wages this season after the player accepted a pay cut, with the option to buy set at around 30 million euros ($35.25 million) for the 27-year-old. "Very excited. I think it's a club where people's dreams come true. They win big prizes. And what the club stands for really means a lot to me as well. So it feels like I am at home," Rashford told reporters following his unveiling. "Another factor is because the conversations I had with the manager (Hansi Flick) were positive. What he did last season was terrific. "To lead such a young team to a very successful season and come back to pre-season and still want to do more, it shows me everything I thought I knew about the club and it's everything I wished." Once seen as a club icon and homegrown star, Rashford had a dramatic fall from grace at United, marked by a falling out with manager Ruben Amorim that paved the way for him to move to Aston Villa on loan in February. "(Manchester United) is in a period of change and they have been for a while. I don't have anything bad to say as it has been an important part not just of my career but my life, so I was grateful for the opportunity," he added. "But like life not everything goes as simple as you thought and this is my next chapter and I'm fully focused on improving myself and helping the team win trophies." Barcelona said Rashford had signed his contract earlier in the afternoon. "Rashford can play anywhere in attack. Right footed, he can take players on and is an excellent finisher, talents he can now show in a Barca shirt," the club said in a statement. The move came after Manchester-born Rashford, who made 426 senior appearances and scored 138 goals for United in all competitions, fell out of favour with Amorim, who called his workrate into question. Rashford, who won two FA Cups, two League Cups and a Europa League title with United, joined Aston Villa on loan after Amorim said he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all. United issued a statement wishing Rashford well as they announced the deal with Barcelona. "Everyone at Manchester United wishes Marcus good luck for the season," the club said. The forward, who has scored 17 goals for England in 62 appearances, said he was feeling fitter and better after joining Villa, where he netted two goals in 10 league games, while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings. Rashford said he had wanted to move to Barca during the mid-season transfer window when he joined Villa. "I was clear on my preference (to join Barcelona) from the beginning. Actually from maybe in January. It didn't work out in January so I went to Villa and enjoyed a good period there," he said. "It was time to make another decision. My choice was easy. (Barcelona) is a family club, something I'm used to from my past. It feels like home." Barcelona are set to play three pre-season friendlies in Japan and South Korea starting on July 27. ($1 = 0.8511 euros)
