After leaving MU, Rashford and Hojlund shine brightly in the Champions League

02/10/2025 06:14:00 GoalGuru

Marcus Rashford keeps up his outstanding form with Barcelona, as Rasmus Hojlund leaves a significant mark at Napoli, both demonstrating a revival following their exit from Manchester United.

At the Montjuic stadium, Barcelona faced PSG in the highlight match of the Champions League group stage. Rashford was the first to make an impression. In the 19th minute, after Lamine Yamal won the ball and combined with Pedri, the English striker cleverly moved into space on the left wing.

He delivered a precise through ball for Ferran Torres to break through and score with a diagonal shot, putting the home team ahead. This was Rashford's third assist in the last six games, extending his excellent run with a total contribution of seven goal involvements (4 goals, 3 assists).

Notably, according to statistics, no English player has recorded more assists than Marcus Rashford this season in the top five European leagues (4 assists). He has assisted a goal in every recent match for Barcelona, confirming his role as a true “creator” in Hansi Flick’s attacking system.

Rashford has been involved in 7 goals over 6 games, proving his outstanding form

Meanwhile, at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, Rasmus Hojlund also delivered a brilliant performance. The young Danish striker scored both goals in Napoli’s 2-1 victory over Sporting. In the 36th minute, from a counterattack started by Kevin De Bruyne, Hojlund broke through and calmly finished to open the scoring. Then in the 81st minute, he completed his brace with a powerful header, also assisted by De Bruyne. This was Hojlund’s third goal since joining Napoli, ending a run of three matches without scoring.

An important point is that Hojlund showed clear improvement in his ability to contest and finish. He frequently won one-on-one battles against defenders, demonstrating significant growth compared to his time at MU. De Bruyne also made his mark with two assists, marking his first contributions as Napoli’s “playmaker” after previously scoring three goals.

Hojlund’s brace secures a dramatic 2-1 win for Napoli

Napoli dominated most of the match, nearly doubling their lead in the first half if not for Rui Silva’s excellent save against Politano’s curling shot. Sporting’s penalty equalizer in the 61st minute only added to the excitement before Hojlund sealed the game with the winning goal.

On the same Champions League night, Rashford and Hojlund — two former MU players — took turns shining brilliantly. While Rashford became a fresh spark in Barcelona’s attack, Hojlund proved he can be Napoli’s main spearhead in Europe.

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