Marcus Rashford misses landmark game with mystery illness

Barcelona have spent the last two and a half years away from their historic home, waiting patiently as the Camp Nou underwent a £1.3 billion transformation.

The club have been playing their football at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys during that time.

This weekend finally marked the beginning of a new era as Barcelona stepped out at the partially reopened Camp Nou for the first time since 2023.

The atmosphere carried the mix of nostalgia and excitement that only a homecoming can deliver.

On the pitch, Hansi Flick’s side arrived in strong form, boosted by standout contributions from several players who have taken significant steps forward this season.

Among those has been one of Europe’s most scrutinised forwards, a player who left Manchester United in the summer needing a fresh start.

Marcus Rashford has been a revelation under Flick, scoring six goals and providing nine assists in 16 appearances across all competitions.

But as Barcelona prepared for their grand return to their rebuilt home, the excitement around Rashford’s form came with one major setback.

Marcus Rashford missed the occasion due to illness, as Barcelona marked their long-awaited return to the Camp Nou with a 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.

Just over 45,000 fans attended, with the venue’s capacity set to exceed 100,000 once construction is completed by the summer of 2026.

Rashford played no part in the homecoming, leaving Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres to lead the attack.

Barcelona confirmed before kick-off that Rashford would not feature, issuing the update: “Marcus Rashford will miss today’s match against Athletic Club due to flu.”

The announcement aligned with Hansi Flick’s comments from Friday, when he said: “Marcus has fever, so he was out [of training] yesterday and today. There are some doubts if he is back tomorrow.”

Barcelona still produced a blistering start, taking the lead inside four minutes when Lewandowski capitalised on a defensive error from the visitors.

The Polish striker continued his hot streak after netting a hat-trick in the previous 4-2 win over Celta Vigo.

Ferran Torres extended the advantage just before half-time after being sent through by Lamine Yamal,

Helping Barcelona begin their Camp Nou return strongly in front of 45,401 supporters.