Xavi wary of Marcus Rashford threat as Barcelona prepare for Manchester United - 'One of the most dangerous in Europe'

Barcelona will face one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards when they come up against Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, says Barca boss Xavi. Rashford has hit a hot streak under Erik ten Hag this season, especially since returning from the World Cup. Ad The United star has scored eight goals in nine Premier League games since the break and another five across the FA Cup and League Cup.

Premier LeagueRashford in elite group of Europe's best forwards — Ten Hag12/02/2023 AT 18:30 That form hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Blaugrana manager ahead of a heavyweight Europa League play-off first leg clash at Camp Nou on Thursday. “He is one of the most dangerous players in Europe,” Xavi said. “He is very fast, a good dribbler one versus one, and dangerous in the transition.

‘A point of mutual understanding’ – How Barca and Xavi found perfect harmony How to watch Barcelona v Man Utd in the Europa League 'I shouldn’t have come back' – Mbappe’s fitness confession after PSG return “It's not like we are expecting only one player. We have assessed what they do and how quick they are on the transition, with [Alejandro] Garnacho, [Jadon] Sancho and [Wout] Weghorst. “The counter strike is very quick.

They have strong legs, so we need players who can correct the fast breaks. “We need to take care of all of them but yes, Rashford is one of the most dangerous in Europe.” These two clubs are historically accustomed to competing for loftier objectives than the Europa League, but this season has provided a reality check. United’s sixth-place Premier League finish last term earned them a place in the second-tier tournament, while Barca finished third in their Champions League group in November to drop down a level.