Marcus Rashford BENCHED for Barcelona’s La Liga opener at Mallorca | OneFootball

Controversy continues follow Barcelona ahead of their first La Liga game of the 2025/26 season away at Mallorca.

Barcelona are playing their first three games of the campaign away from home as the club work towards a mid-September return to the Camp Nou.

However, there are more pressing concerns for Hansi Flick, as the club raced to get Marcus Rashford registered as a La Liga player.

Barcelona have been scrambling to register Joan Garcia and Rashford in time for the trip to Palma, and in the case of the former, they did manage to get it done in time.

Rashford was included in the travelling squad, but he will start on the bench at the Estadi Son Moix, as Flick opted against throwing him in from the start.

Rashford named on the bench ahead of La Liga debut

The club submitted their request for Rashford to be registered, and with more funds being raised on Friday, via the sale of the 50% sell-on clause they had for ex-player Francisco Trincao, they were confident of raising the money needed to get it done just before kick off.

Image via Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

With Robert Lewandowski missing due to injury, Rashford is hoping to make an instant impression on the Spanish top flight, but he will be held back for the moment.

Ferran Torres leads the Barcelona attack, in the sole starting change from Barcelona’s 5-0 Joan Gamper Trophy win over Como on August 10, flanked by Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.

Rashford will hope to come on against Mallorca but with the potential of a first start in the trip to Levante on August 23, or at the latest, on the road at Rayo Vallecano on August 31.

The club are still working to register several other players before the end of September with further sales planned to ease the financial pressure.