TA: Barcelona believes that Ferran is a better substitute for Lewandowski, and the registration issue of Rashford still needs to be resolved

The Athletic reported that Barcelona believes that Ferran is a better choice for Lewandowski, and the issue of Rashford registration still needs to be resolved.

Barcelona ended its preseason tour of Japan and South Korea with full expectations for the new season, and Rashford's positive start is one of the highlights.

The 27-year-old player made a appearance in all three tour games in Barcelona. In a 5-0 victory against Daegu FC, he received Eric Garcia's cross and scored, winning the first goal of Barcelona's career to usher in a highlight moment. In the previous two preseason games, Frick arranged for him to be the left winger as a substitute, and he tried the center position for the first time in this game. However, after scoring the fifth goal with a huge gap in strength, the English did not celebrate. This restraint was also reflected in the 3-1 victory over Kobe Victory Ship last Sunday and the 7-3 victory over Seoul FC on Thursday.

Rashford has not yet amazed the world, but his performance is remarkable, and his performance is enough to convince fans and Frick that he can play a role in the new season, although it seems more likely to be a substitute at the moment. Barcelona's first La Liga match will have to wait until August 16, and there are still many variables during this period, but the coach's current preference can be clearly seen from the three warm-up matches that have been held. Only four players start every game, namely Joan Garcia, Valde, Rafinia and Yamal. The latter two are the first choice for the forward line without any suspense, and Lewandowski's center position seems to be more open.

But the Barcelona coaching staff currently believes that Ferran Torres is the more preferred alternative to Lewandowski. The Spanish international scored twice against Seoul, and the club revealed that the final round of the match against Daegu was arranged for his rest for load management. This means that Rashford's most realistic opportunity to play will be as Rafinia's left winger substitute, which is exactly what Frick's team currently positions him, and of course they also know his versatile attributes.

Rashford indeed looked energetic, and he showed a positive attitude in the face of one of the most luxurious attack lines in Europe. Judging from his speeches in the mixed zone after the victory over Seoul, he is not worried about possible limited playing time.

"Season goal? One hundred!" When asked about expectations, he laughed and joked, "Do your best. I know playing football in the new league will be different, but I accept the challenge. The quality and intensity of training are very high. There are many excellent players here. Of course, I knew them before joining. I can score goals in multiple positions, and the key is to create threats in different regions. I hope we can go further than last season and win the Champions League."

At the same time, the new teammates were deeply impressed by his attitude. Anonymous insider revealed that Rashford paid great attention to establishing a good relationship with everyone in the locker room. Conde, who sits next to the flight, commented that the Manchester United loan would allow him to see some of his own shadow. The French defender said in the mixed zone after another game: "He might be a little introverted at first, but this is normal. Now he is getting more and more relaxed, and all his teammates are enthusiastic about accepting him. You see that he always smiles on the court, you know he is very happy." In terms of performance on the court, Rashford was not in a hurry to prove himself. During his debut 33 minutes against Kobe's substitute, he tried his best to cooperate with Lewandowski and even gave up some shooting opportunities. Four days later, he played against Seoul. After he made his debut in the first half, he also took the initiative to seek linkage with Ferran Torres, who changed to the ninth position. A locker room source told TA: "He wants to do things well, is very humble and respects everyone, and shows the correct attitude on the court."

There is a particular detail that is particularly prominent. When Barcelona lost the ball in the 64th minute against Kobe, when he was counterattacked, Rashford, who was originally far away from the battle circle, found that the opponent's right guard was placed on the side and chased back to the penalty area without hesitation. This defensive investment is exactly what Flick cannot compromise on, and the coaching staff expressed satisfaction with his performance.

Then everything goes well? not necessarily. With only 11 days left to the opening of La Liga, Rashford has not completed the league registration. If the procedures are not completed before the transfer window is closed, he will be forced to wait until January next year to register. Barcelona insiders insist on being confident that they will complete all necessary registrations before the start of the new season. In addition to Rashford, new players Joan Garcia, Rooney Badge and Szczesny still need to go through the registration procedures. Gerald Martin, who was originally in youth training, also needs to be reissue because he was promoted to the first team. The club will give priority to Joan Garcia's registration.

"I'm not worried, this is the problem that the club has to solve," Rashford said in response to the registration question after the Seoul game. "I believe they will do it. I only focus on training and preparing for the new season." Rashford has done his duty in the preseason stage, and now it's the club's turn to perform its duties.