After defeating Elche, Flick praised Rashford's 'rare' level of skill.

Coach Hansi Flick expressed great admiration for the debutant striker Marcus Rashford’s display, who netted the winning goal in Barcelona’s 3-1 triumph against Elche in La Liga.

Following their loss to Real Madrid, Barcelona had to beat Elche to keep pace with their archrival in the 2025/26 La Liga standings, and they succeeded. The Catalan team overcame their opponent 3-1 at the Olympic Montjuic stadium thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Rashford.

This match attracted significant attention, especially after Pedri suffered a right hamstring injury and was sidelined for an extended period, leaving Flick with a difficult choice for a replacement. However, Flick seems to have found a solution.

Speaking after the win over Elche, Flick said: "Today, Barca demonstrated that we can perform well even without Pedri. Everyone knows he is an outstanding player, and we always want Pedri on the pitch for every game. But currently, that’s not possible, and Barca must adapt. The players did well today. We can still improve many things, and we definitely will. The club has earned 3 points, gained confidence, and will continue moving forward."

Flick also praised Frenkie de Jong, who stepped in for Pedri in midfield: "Regarding Frenkie De Jong, I can say the same as with Pedri. He is in excellent form and consistently maintains a high level in every match. His role as the number 8, paired with Casado as the defensive anchor, satisfies me greatly. De Jong is an outstanding player."

Additionally, Flick emphasized Marcus Rashford’s role at Barca despite only joining the club a few months ago:“If you look at the chances Rashford had, he could have scored one or two more goals. But we must be satisfied, and personally, I am truly pleased. I know he can perform at this level and am happy to see Rashford show that to the fans and teammates. At Barca, Rashford consistently displays the quality and composure of a top striker. He will become even more dangerous in the near future.”

In the next match, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will face Club Brugge in the Champions League qualification round on November 6.

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