Marcus Rashford can realise long-held Barcelona wish if two obstacles are passed

Marcus Rashford has impressed during his loan spell at Barcelona and has a chance to join the club permanently in the summer if he keeps things up

Barcelona loanee Marcus Rashford hasn’t yet had the chance to feature in a Champions League final for his parent club, but could potentially fulfil that ambition with the La Liga giants. The England international had to be patient before getting the opportunity to play at Barca’s legendary Camp Nou stadium following delays to their redevelopment project but the best may still lie ahead – including a potential European final at the storied venue.

Rashford has already made his debut at the ground since its reopening, though the first games back there have been played in front of a reduced crowd. He could yet grace the venue on the grandest stage of all, though, with Barcelona confirming their ambition to host the 2029 Champions League final.

“FC Barcelona hereby formally expresses its intention to participate, together with Barcelona City Council and the Government of Catalonia, in the initial bidding process to host the 2029 Champions League Final, proposing the city of Barcelona as a potential host and Spotify Camp Nou as the proposed venue, subject to the corresponding certification and approval by UEFA, and with the support of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF),” the club announced in a statement. “This process forms part of a preliminary phase of analysis and assessment.

“The club and the institutions involved have submitted the initial required documentation with the aim of advancing the procedure and enabling UEFA to assess the suitability of the bid, in accordance with the established protocols. The formal submission of the final bid and the delivery of the complete dossier, including all the documentation required to be considered as host of the final, are scheduled for early June 2026.”

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Rashford featured for Manchester United when they suffered a 3-0 Champions League defeat at Camp Nou under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019. United might have been well beaten but the iconic stadium still made a lasting impression on the England international.

“Atmosphere-wise, I’d probably say I enjoyed Nou Camp,” Rashford revealed when quizzed on The Overlap in 2023 about his favourite ground. “The first time we played there we got beat 3-0. We had a couple of chances and I hit the crossbar early on.

“I think Paul [Pogba] had a shot that clipped the post and this was all at 0-0. Once they got the first goal, the crowd was different. Every time [Lionel] Messi got on the ball it was daunting and the crowd were shouting to make the backline nervous. It was all a mess after they scored the first goal.”

Barcelona and Manchester United clashed in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals but haven’t faced each other in the competition since that 2019 encounter. Camp Nou has not hosted the final since 1999, when United secured a dramatic late win against Bayern Munich.

Rashford may soon have the opportunity not only to feature in a final at a stadium he holds in high regard but to do so wearing Barcelona colours. This would depend on the Camp Nou being selected to host the 2029 final, whilst the player himself would need to keep his levels up between now and the end of the campaign and secure a permanent move.

The forward set ambitious targets when joining the club on loan and and was questioned about the Champions League after Barca’s semi-final run last year. A fifth-place finish in the league phase has seen them progress directly to the round of 16, where they will face Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United or Qarabag.

“It is what the club was fighting for last year and they were very close and I hope they can take the next step this year,” Rashford said upon his arrival. “This is a historic club and they are known for winning the biggest prizes. I am here to help the club do that. It is a dream of mine for sure.”

The 28-year-old has already hit double figures for goals and assists during his loan stint, including setting up a Ronald Araujo strike in a midweek Copa del Rey triumph at Albacete. He also found the back of the net in Saturday’s clash with Elche, prompting words of encouragement from boss Hansi Flick as Barcelona get ready to decide whether to trigger a £26million permanent transfer clause for their loanee.

“I think he has a lot of potential to show,” Flick said after the 3-1 victory at Elche . “We always focus on goals, the final pass, because this is one of the ways you can measure things, and he’s doing well in that regard.

“There’s always room for improvement. But with his speed and technique, he can give us so much more. I’m delighted with what he’s giving us, but he has much more potential. I want everyone to be at their best.

“It’s about mentality, attitude during training… That’s what we want to see. Always striving to be better.”

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