Marcus Rashford has admitted that he finds he is more motivated to succeed at Barcelona following his move from Manchester United, insisting there isn’t a ‘bad type of pressure’ at his new club.
Rashford, who joined the Spanish giants on loan from his childhood club at the beginning of the season after being frozen out by Ruben Amorim, is enjoying life in Spain and has scored seven times and notched 11 assists in 24 appearances this campaign.
Previously, the 28-year-old forward has insisted he wanted to extend his stay in Spain beyond the end of the season, when his loan spell comes to an end, with the club having the option to sign him for £30.3million.
When asked if that was still his main motivator, he told Spanish outlet Sport: ‘Of course this is what I want, but it’s not the reason why I’m pushing and working hard.
‘The reason why is because I want to win. Barcelona is a fantastic club. A club that is known for winning, and it’s this type of pressure – I want to say pressure but it’s not a bad type of pressure.
‘It’s a pressure that you look forward to and a pressure that I want to have whilst I’m playing football. If I’m at a club that doesn’t demand these things then it’s more difficult for me to be motivated. It’s a fantastic environment for me to continue my football journey.’
Rashford, who joined Barcelona on loan from his childhood club Manchester United at the beginning of the season has scored seven times and notched up 11 assists in 24 appearances
‘I think there’s more scrutiny on Manchester United just because more people in the country hate them, and that’s just a fact,’ Harry Maguire told TNT Sports earlier this year.
Asked about how he had enjoyed settling into life in Barcelona, Rashford said: ‘From the minute that I arrived I felt welcome. For me, the reason why I’m here is to help the team. I’m here to help them win trophies.
‘Last year they had a fantastic season but – like in life and in football – things move on quickly so we have to repeat the season that we had last season.
‘I’m fully focused on this and the staff, the players know that I’m focused on this so it’s really good.’
Rashford broke through from United’s academy into the first team under Louis van Gaal in 2016, and the Wythenshawe native was one of the club’s brightest prospects for the future. But a turbulent period at United – including witnessing six different managers in charge – led to inconsistent performances in his later seasons.
After netting 30 times in Erik ten Hag’s debut season, he struggled to maintain his form and the arrival of Ruben Amorim marked the beginning of the end for the Englishman’s time at Old Trafford.
Rashford joined Aston Villa less than three months after the arrival of the Portuguese boss, who said he could not get Rashford to buy into his ideas. ‘What I say is I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,’ Amorim said at the time.
‘And sometimes you have one player who is really good with one coach and the same player with another coach is different. I just wish the best to Rashford.’
These latest comments from Rashford, though, hint at a deeper issue the forward felt regarding the level, and nature, of the pressure at the club.
Scott McTominay has also reached incredible new heights since leaving childhood club United, helping clinch the Serie A with Napoli last season and getting a Ballon d’Or nod for his efforts
And he’s not the only person to draw upon the intense criticism felt by players at United, with Harry Maguire saying that the pressure was ‘on a totally different scale’ from other clubs.
‘I think there’s more scrutiny on Manchester United just because more people in the country hate them, and that’s just a fact,’ Maguire told TNT Sports earlier this year.
‘Everyone in the Premier League dislikes Man Utd and they don’t want to see them do well.’
And Rashford, who has been hailed an ‘absolute professional’ by his new manager Hansi Flick, is not the only recent departee to be thriving abroad. Former winger Antony has contributed 13 goal involvements in 19 appearances for La Liga side Real Betis in his first season since his permanent move in the summer.
Meanwhile, Scott McTominay was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or after helping Napoli clinch the Serie A title last season, winning the Player of the Season award for his performances.
Former Red Angel Gomes, who has received an England call-up since leaving United in 2020 for a flourishing career at Lille and now Marseille, described how some players benefit from being free of the weight of the United shirt.
‘Players may have been intimidated or not really know about the weight, what it carries and what it takes,’ he told the BBC in June.
‘But ultimately, sometimes, it’s down to environment, timing and having the right things in place to help you.
‘Some players who have left and gone on to do better than when they were at United, there might be things in place at that certain club, at that moment in time, that helped them succeed.’