BARCELONA, Spain (BN24) — Barcelona produced a statement performance with a 6-0 demolition of Valencia on Saturday, with Marcus Rashford registering his first goal involvement in La Liga since arriving on loan from Manchester United.
The England forward, making just his second start for the Spanish champions, delivered a brilliant cross to assist Raphinha’s first goal shortly after halftime, giving Barcelona a 2-0 lead. Rashford played 67 minutes in a lively outing at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, where he also had two shots narrowly miss the target.
Fermin Lopez opened the scoring in the first half, racing onto a Ferran Torres through ball to fire past the Valencia goalkeeper. The midfielder then doubled his tally with a stunning long-range strike to make it 3-0 before Raphinha rifled in his second goal — Barcelona’s fourth as the home side ran riot.
Robert Lewandowski, who came off the bench alongside Raphinha, joined the scoring party late on. The Polish striker calmly finished Dani Olmo’s pass before chipping in a sixth goal that was initially flagged for offside but later confirmed by VAR.
The hosts created plenty of other chances, with Torres striking the post after getting on the end of another dangerous cross from Rashford. The match was held at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium — normally used by Barcelona’s B team — while the Nou Camp continues to undergo redevelopment.
Barcelona’s resounding win not only kept them in the La Liga title hunt but also marked a milestone for Rashford, who had been under scrutiny since his high-profile loan move from Old Trafford. The 26-year-old’s assist provided a glimpse of his potential impact as he adapts to life in Spain.
