Marcus Rashford officially donned the Barcelona jersey for the first time in a friendly match against Vissel Kobe in Japan on July 27, 2025. The English forward, a recent addition to the Catalan club on a season-long loan from Manchester United, was subbed into the match at halftime.
The pre-season friendly took place at Kobe City Misaki Park Stadium. Barcelona secured a 3-1 victory over the Japanese side. The match had initially been in doubt due to contractual disagreements between Barcelona and the promoter, but these issues were resolved, allowing the game to proceed as scheduled. Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten and president of Vissel Kobe, played a crucial role in resolving the contractual issues that threatened the match. Mikitani utilized his network, including reaching out to Gerard Pique, to ensure the game could proceed.
Barcelona's goals were scored by Eric Garcia, Roony Bardghji, and Pedro Fernandez. Garcia opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. Vissel Kobe responded with an equalizer by Taisei Miyashiro just before halftime. Bardghji then restored Barcelona's lead, and Fernandez sealed the victory with a late goal.
Rashford's debut, though in a friendly, generated considerable excitement among Barcelona fans. He replaced Raphinha at the left-wing position and played for approximately 33 minutes before being subbed off. During his time on the pitch, Rashford displayed moments of promise. He nearly set up Robert Lewandowski for a scoring opportunity and had a shot saved himself. Although he didn't score, he played a role in the build-up to Bardghji’s go-ahead goal.
Barcelona's manager, Hansi Flick, made several changes to the lineup during the second half, with Rashford being one of eleven substitutions. The team's performance was encouraging, especially considering it was early in their pre-season preparations.
The match against Vissel Kobe was part of Barcelona's pre-season tour in Asia. Following the match in Japan, the team is scheduled to travel to South Korea for two more friendlies, against FC Seoul on July 31 and Daegu FC on August 4. These matches are crucial for Barcelona as they prepare for the upcoming La Liga season. They also serve as important financial opportunities for the club, which has been dealing with significant debt in recent years.
