Spanish Media react to Marcus Rashford’s LaLiga winning performance against Real Madrid

Marcus Rashford scored a stunning free-kick to send Barcelona on their way to a 2-0 win over Real Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday night, sealing the 2025/26 LaLiga title with three games to spare.

The Manchester United loanee opened the scoring inside nine minutes. Ferran Torres added a second before the half-hour to deliver Barça’s 29th league championship, and the first ever clinched directly in a Clásico.

For Rashford, the moment carried added weight, as his goal arrived in front of a 62,213-strong Camp Nou crowd, on a night Hansi Flick coached wearing a black armband after the death of his father that morning.

By the final whistle, Barcelona’s lead at the top had stretched to 14 points, mathematically ending Real Madrid’s title defence and confirming the Blaugrana as back-to-back champions of Spain.

Barcelona moved first and never looked back as Antonio Rudiger fouled Ferran Torres on the edge of the box in the eighth minutes. Marcus Rashford stepped up, and the resulting strike whipped past Thibaut Courtois into the top corner.

Nine minutes later, the lead was doubled as Fermin Lopez floated a cross from the left, Dani Olmo flicked a backheel into space, and Ferran Torres swept the title-clincher home.

Marcus Rashford helps to seal El Clasico win and LaLiga title

Rashford started on the right wing in a 4-2-3-1, a selection that surprised even the Spanish press, Sport had reported Roony Bardghji was ahead of him in Flick’s plans 24 hours earlier.

He was tasked with attacking Madrid’s makeshift left-back Fran García and pinning Trent Alexander-Arnold on the touchline, and he managed both.

The goal itself made history as it was Barcelona’s first free-kick goal against Real Madrid since Lionel Messi in October 2012, ending a 13-and-a-half-year wait by an English forward who, twelve months ago, had been frozen out at Manchester United.

Rashford later admitted he had not even planned to shoot, explaining he was going to cross before being talked into it by his team-mates.

By the time he was withdrawn on 64 minutes for the returning Raphinha, Rashford had registered three shots, two on target, set up Fermin twice and forced a brilliant Courtois save from a one-on-one.

As such, it’s no surprise that the Spanish press have hailed his performance, with Mundo Deportivo commenting: “The English striker once again staked his claim for a place at the club next season with a spectacular free-kick goal.”

The continued: “He broke the deadlock in the Clásico from a set-piece — something Barca hadn’t managed in well over a decade.”

Adding to this, AS commented: “The free-kick goal he scored already justifies his signing this year. He returned to his position on the right wing, working tirelessly in defence. He had another great chance to score a brace, but Courtois denied him.”