It is often said that the biggest sadness for a football player is becoming a reserve player, and after being put on the field, being replaced after a short period of time.
However, in the context of the friendly match between Barcelona and Vissel Kobe on July 27, 2025, Marcus Rashford being brought on the field by coach Hansi Flick for about 30 minutes and then withdrawn was not a punishment or humiliation. It was simply a tactical decision and reasonable fitness management from the German captain.
The 27-year-old just had his first match since completing a one-season loan deal from Manchester United - marking the end of a long-forgotten period at Old Trafford.
The striker's transfer deal, including a £26 million buy-to-know clause, was completed in time. Rashford could fly to Japan to join his Barcelona teammates and begin a pre-season tour in Asia.
Rashford's debut match was against Vissel Kobe (Japan) in a friendly match. This match was initially postponed, but was quickly rearranged by the organizers to take place as planned.
Rashford was benched by Flick in the first half, before the German coach made a substitution for the entire squad at half-time. The England international had a promising performance in his 30 minutes on the pitch. Notably, the mark in the goal of rookie Roony Bardghji contributed to Barcelona's 3-1 victory.
After defender Jofre Torrents regained control of the ball on the left wing, Rashford quickly received the ball and made an accurate pass to Robert Lewandowski.
The Barcelona No. 9 striker then continued to assist Roony Bardghji on the right wing. The former Copenhagen international had an impressive finish in his first appearance for the Catalan club.
Just a few seconds after the combination led to a goal, Rashford was taken off the field. The England international, along with Jofre Torrents, was replaced by Gerard Martin and Pedro Fernandez - who later scored the third goal for Barcelona in the 77th minute.
After the match, Flick was asked about the decision to take both Rashford and Torrents off the field after only about 30 minutes of play.
"Rashford don't have much playing time, and we also want to create conditions for Gerard Martin to play for about 15 minutes because he has just returned from injury" - Flick explained after the match.
This was a completely reasonable decision, especially since Rashford has only joined Barcelona for less than a week. He was previously a member of Man United and had to train at Carrington during his former club's overseas spell.
For Flick, Rashford's first days at Barcelona were to get used to the new environment in a slow but certain way, ensuring that he could adapt to the football philosophy that the German strategist is building.
Rashford being brought on and off in a pre-season friendly is not a problem for both the England manager and player.
Barcelona's next match will be against Seoul. Here, Rashford will have the opportunity to reunite with his former Man United teammate - Jesse Lingard, currently the captain of Seoul, one of the "giants" of the K-League.
