Gordon's two-assist Barcelona debut leaves Rashford firmly in the rear-view mirror

Anthony Gordon marked his competitive Barcelona debut with two assists as the La Liga champions opened their title defence with a commanding 5-0 victory over Elche, while Marcus Rashford — the man Barça chose not to sign — returned to Manchester United duty in a 2-0 defeat at Hull City.

Gordon, signed for £69.3m after Barcelona opted against activating the purchase clause in Rashford’s loan agreement, came off the bench to exploit Elche’s fatigue in the second half. Fellow new arrival Karim Adeyemi started and scored, giving manager Hansi Flick two contrasting attacking options who have quickly won over supporters and press alike.

Spanish outlet SPORT credited the pair with bringing “dynamism, pressure and a decisive burst of speed” to Flick’s side, noting that they do not need to play simultaneously to be “game-changers.” Of Gordon specifically, the publication wrote: “His introduction allowed Barca to better exploit the spaces when Elche began to show signs of fatigue. Gordon accelerated the transitions and constantly threatened to attack behind the defence, a particularly valuable characteristic when the opponent is already forced to push forward.”

Barcelona Universal awarded Gordon a rating of 8.5/10 and called it a “very promising debut.” Mundo Deportivo labelled the former Everton and Newcastle winger “unstoppable”, while La Vanguardia described him as “electric and selfless” after he “came out firing on all cylinders.”

Gordon had already caught the eye despite missing a penalty in last week’s pre-season fixture against Al Ahly, and will now push for a place in Flick’s starting XI when Barcelona host Athletic Club on Thursday.

The contrast with Rashford’s situation could hardly be starker. With no permanent buyer emerging during the summer window, the England forward is back at United and came on at half-time in Saturday’s 2-0 Championship defeat at Hull City — a sobering backdrop to the glowing reviews his would-be replacement is generating in Catalonia.