“We wanted to see how he adapted to the position” - Hansi Flick explains why Barcelona tried different role with Marcus Rashford in pre-season win

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has explained why he experimented with Marcus Rashford in a different role in their 5-0 friendly win over Daegu on August 4. Rashford signed for the Catalans on a season-long loan this summer, with a reported option to buy for €30 million.

Marcus Rashford made his Barcelona debut off the bench on July 27 in their 3-1 win over Vissel Kobe in a pre-season friendly. In their 5-0 win against Deagu tonight, the Englishman replaced Robert Lewandowski on the pitch (46'), coming on as a striker. Rashford scored his first goal for Barca (65') in the game, sealing their win while adapting well in the number nine role even for a short time.

In the post-match press conference, as quoted by AS, Hansi Flick explained why he experimented with Marcus Rashford in the striker role. The Englishman is usually employed as a winger, making it a new role for him ahead of next season. Flick said (via Barca Universal)

"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."

With Robert Lewandowski's age and declining form, Hansi Flick appears to be experimenting with other attackers in his role. Ferran Torres usually takes Lewandowski's place during his unavailability, but Rashford adapting to the striker role could be beneficial for the club. Moreover, it could also give the Manchester United loanee more game time as Raphinha usually plays on the left.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick opens up about Gerard Martin adapting to a new role in pre-season tour

In his aforementioned press conference (h/t AS), Hansi Flick also opened up about defender Gerard Martin adapting to the centre-back role. The German tactician has been trying out players in various positions, which may or may not hint at how Barcelona line-ups could look next season. Speaking of Martin, Flick said (via Barca Universal):

“He can play centre-back, and that gives us more options. He can also play at full-back. It’s good to have more options because he can help us throughout the season.”

Gerard Martin was fairly regular for Barcelona last season, especially when the usual starting left-back, Alejandro Balde, was unavailable due to injuries. While Martin has faced his fair share of criticism last season, he showed more openness to adapt to the centre-back role during the pre-season tour.

However, Barca have multiple centre-backs in their squad, including Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Inigo Martinez, and Pau Cubarsi. Hansi Flick has usually preferred a central pairing of Cubarsi and Martinez, but could be more open to giving others a chance. Moreover, both Araujo and Christensen are back from their long-term injuries, leaving Flick with several options for the backline.

About the author

Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.

Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his dedication and humility. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray's cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she's a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone.

When Pratyasha's off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.

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Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar