What a miss! Marcus Rashford leaves Raphinha stunned as he fires open goal shot wide for Barcelona against Como

With the Catalan giants already 4-0 ahead in their final pre-season outing, Rashford looked certain to join the scoresheet. Latching onto a through ball, he rounded Como goalkeeper Jean Butez with ease, leaving himself a tap-in from just a few yards. But then came the jaw-dropper. With no defenders in sight and the goal gaping, Rashford’s shot rolled harmlessly past the wrong side of the post. The England international threw his hands above his head in disbelief, while Raphinha’s wide-eyed reaction said it all.

Luckily for Barcelona, the damage was inconsequential as Fermin Lopez, Raphinha, and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal had already ensured victory was wrapped up. Rashford did have some redemption earlier in the match, delivering a pinpoint cross for Raphinha’s goal, a flash of quality amid an otherwise forgettable evening for the striker.

Rashford’s gaffe comes just days after he seemed to have found his feet in Catalonia, scoring his first goal in Barca colours during a friendly against South Korea’s Daegu FC on August 4. That strike had hinted at growing confidence, but this latest blunder will do little to quieten doubters still questioning whether the move from Manchester will reignite his career.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick now faces an awkward call ahead of the team's La Liga opener against Mallorca on August 16. Such a glaring miss, in an otherwise routine match, raises questions over Rashford's match sharpness and mental edge. It will be interesting to find out if Flick shows faith in the England forward next weekend, even if Barcelona are able to register the forward with the league before the match.