Man Utd striker Marcus Rashford, on a season-long loan at Barca, was dropped for the weekend win at Getafe for turning up two minutes late for a team meeting
Marcus Rashford was reportedly disciplined by Barcelona boss Hansi Flick after being left out of the starting line-up on Sunday (Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Marcus Rashford was dropped by Barcelona for turning up two minutes late for a team meeting, sources close to the player have confirmed.
Manchester United striker Rashford, who is on a season-long loan at Barca, was axed from the side to face Getafe in La Liga on Sunday.
England forward Rashford was expected to start for Barca after scoring a stunning brace in a 2-1 Champions League win at Newcastle, but was left on the bench.
Barca head coach Hansi Flick ordered his players to attend a 9.30am meeting on the day of the Getafe game, followed by an ‘activation session’ at 11am.
Rashford opened his Barca account with a stunning brace in a 2-1 Champions League win at Newcastle last week(Image: Michael Regan – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Sources close to Rashford confirmed he did not arrive at the meeting until 9.32am which saw Flick enforce a disciplinary rule that meant he did not start the game.
Flick instead started with a front three of Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres and Raphinha, as Barca ran out 3-0 winners at the Nou Camp.
Barca boss Flick has a zero tolerance policy on lateness, with players regularly left out of the team for arriving late to training or meetings – even if only by a minute or two.
Raphinha was dropped to the bench last weekend against Valencia for the same reason as Rashford, having arrived late for the activation session on the Sunday.
Barca defender Jules Kounde and goalkeeper Inaki Pena, who now plays at Elche, have also fallen foul of Flick’s strict timekeeping in the past.
Despite being dropped to the bench, Rashford came on at the break and impressed in the second-half, setting up Barca’s third goal for Dani Olmo.
After a slow start at Barca, failing to score or assist in his first four appearances, Rashford has plundered two goals and two assists in his last three games.
It remains to be seen if Rashford will be recalled to Barca’s starting line-up for Thursday’s trip to Real Oviedo in La Liga, following his latest transgression.