Barcelona’s decision sparks debate: Why are fans calling for Marcus Rashford’s return?
Barcelona’s 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League sparked criticism of English winger Anthony Gordon, with some supporters believing he failed to deliver the expected performance. Fans began comparing him with Marcus Rashford and calling for the former Manchester United forward to return to the Catalan club.
The criticism followed Barcelona’s meeting with PSG, during which Gordon struggled to deal with Achraf Hakimi’s movement, particularly under pressure on the left flank. Some supporters used his display to reopen the debate over Barcelona’s decision not to sign Rashford permanently and to choose Gordon instead for the left-wing position.
Rashford enjoyed a successful spell at Barcelona during the 2025-26 season after joining on loan from Manchester United in the summer of 2025. He made a notable attacking contribution, but Barcelona eventually decided against activating the €30 million purchase option and instead signed Gordon from Newcastle United in a deal worth around £69.3 million, including add-ons.
According to The Peoples Person, several Barcelona supporters expressed their frustration with Gordon’s performance. One fan mockingly described him as the “English Garnacho”, while others argued that Rashford offered the team more attacking variety through his pace on the counterattack, crossing ability and set-piece delivery.
Despite the criticism, Gordon’s early statistics at Barcelona do not paint an entirely negative picture. He had scored two goals and provided five assists in his first 11 appearances for the club across all competitions, demonstrating that he has already made a contribution in attack, even if his performance against PSG failed to convince every supporter.
Rashford, meanwhile, finished last season with Barcelona with 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances, according to the figures cited in the report. He returned to Manchester United after his loan spell ended and was reintegrated into the English club’s plans. The report also stated that he was managing a hip issue.
The debate over Barcelona’s decision to choose Gordon rather than Rashford resurfaced ahead of the Clasico against Real Madrid on October 25. Real Madrid went on to win the match 2-1, with Gordon named in Barcelona’s starting line-up. The result added to the pressure on the Catalan side after their European defeat, although it does not, by itself, prove that signing Gordon was the wrong decision.
Gordon still has time to demonstrate that he can deliver the expected impact, especially with his Barcelona career still in its early stages. Calls from some supporters for Rashford to return reflect the ongoing comparison between the two players, but they do not indicate that Barcelona are officially working on bringing the English forward back to the club.
