Marcus Rashford’s full debut lasts 45 minutes as Barcelona snatch comeback win
By PA Sport Staff
Marcus Rashford’s full Barcelona debut lasted just 45 minutes with his side staring down the barrel of a humiliating defeat by newly-promoted Levante.
Barca were trailing 2-0 when Rashford was taken off at half-time at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia.
But within eight minutes of the Manchester United loanee being replaced, Barcelona were back on level terms through goals from Pedri and Ferran Torres before a late own goal earned them a 3-2 victory.
COMEBACK COMPLETED!! 😍✅ pic.twitter.com/5xOTQ4uAMw
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 23, 2025
The 27-year-old had an early half-chance after taking a corner which was cleared back to him.
Rashford got into the box and had a snap-shot which forced a comfortable save from home keeper Pablo Campos.
Yet Levante had already seen a Jose Morales goal disallowed – he was a long way offside – before they took a shock 15th-minute lead.
Jeremy Toljan collected a deep cross out on the right and turned the ball back inside to Ivan Romer, who beat his marker before slotting home.
Torres should have equalised for Barcelona when the ball fell to him in the box, but he crashed his shot against the crossbar.
Moments later Barca were almost caught out at a free-kick, but Adrian de la Fuente headed a decent chance wide.
Raphinha planted a header the wrong side of a post as the visitors pressed at the end of the first half.
The second half is underway.
↑🟢 Gavi
↑🟢 Olmo
↓🔴 Rashford
↓🔴 M. Casadó#LevanteBarça pic.twitter.com/Si7raSRjEP— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 23, 2025
But in stoppage time, VAR spotted a handball in the Barca area against Alejandro Balde as he blocked a goalbound effort from Morales.
The 38-year-old stepped up to tuck away the spot-kick and double Levante’s lead at the end of a half in which Barca had 85 per cent possession.
Rashford and Pedri had linked up well at times, but the England forward did not have the impact he would have wanted.
He and Marc Casado were replaced at half-time by Dani Olmo and Gavi, and within four minutes Pedri had halved the deficit with a 25-yarder into the top corner.
Three minutes later, Torres calmly placed a volley into the net from Raphinha’s cross to haul Barca level.
Hansi Flick sent on Robert Lewandowksi and the Poland international felt he should have won a penalty after running into De la Fuente, but nothing was given.
Torres headed straight at Campos and Raphinha fired wide as Blaugrana poured forward in search of a winner.
It came in the first minute of stoppage time when Yamal swung in a dangerous cross which clipped the head of Levante defender Unai Elgezabal for a heartbreaking own goal.
