Barcelona and Marcus Rashford’s efforts proved insufficient on Tuesday evening. Having suffered a 4-0 defeat in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final against Atletico Madrid in February, Hansi Flick’s squad’s 3-0 victory at Camp Nou fell heartbreakingly short of overturning the deficit.

Rashford was absent from that opening leg due to injury, but managed 26 minutes as a substitute on Tuesday. Flick’s men held a 2-0 advantage at that point and added a third with under 20 minutes left on the clock, though it proved inadequate, with Rashford himself unable to make a significant contribution.

Marc Bernal emerged as Barcelona’s standout performer, finding the net twice in a senior first-team fixture for the first time in his career. Raphinha added the remaining goal, converting from the penalty spot just before the interval.

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Despite the 4-3 aggregate elimination, Barcelona have found cause for optimism after extending their lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga during the weekend. For Rashford, however, his second appearance following injury was viewed by sections of the Spanish press as evidence that he hasn’t fully regained match sharpness.

AS acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge confronting Barcelona from the outset. The publication recognised that the starting XI’s performance would require support from those coming off the bench to maintain their rhythm, yet believed Rashford fell short of his responsibilities.

“Once again, it was Bernal, with four goals in the last four home games, who made it 3-0, turning the tie into a scorching hot affair. But by then, Barça had run out of steam,” they reported.

“And the reinforcements Flick brought on, Rashford and [Dani] Olmo, were useless. [Centre-back Ronald] Araujo, in desperation, played as a centre forward, but nobody gave him a single ball despite Barcelona’s 16 corner kicks.”

Rashford’s brief appearance didn’t warrant extensive coverage in Mundo Deportivo’s primary match analysis. Nevertheless, the outlet captured his minimal influence through their player assessments.

‘Shy’ was the single-word assessment of the England international, followed by further elaboration. “He could have helped more in the final minutes with his shooting power and crosses, but his decision-making wasn’t very sharp.”

Compare that with Fermin Lopez, whom Rashford came on for. Whilst he also failed to pose a threat going forward, he received praise for being “better at winning back possession, with decisive and often successful pressing, than in attack”.

Marca adopted a more optimistic and concise view. “He came on in the 64th minute and played some good minutes,” their evaluation stated.

Nevertheless, Rashford was somewhat absolved given his absence from that agonising first leg defeat. “On February 12, Barca suffered a resounding 4-0 defeat at the Metropolitano, where they played one of the worst matches of the Hansi Flick era,” their report read.

“That setback severely damaged their chances of advancing. Although the fans in Barcelona dreamed of a comeback, the truth is that, as the minutes ticked by, the feat seemed increasingly utopian, and their elimination was finally confirmed.”

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