Kathmandu, Sept 19.
Kathmandu – Spanish club Barcelona kicked off the new season of the UEFA Champions League with a 2–1 victory over England’s Newcastle United in the group stage opener.
Both goals for Barcelona were scored by young striker Marcus Rashford, who joined the club on loan from Manchester United. This marked Rashford’s first competitive goals for his new team.
Rashford opened the scoring in the 58th minute with a header from a cross delivered by Jules Koundé. He then added a second goal in the 67th minute with a powerful strike, giving Barcelona a comfortable lead.
Newcastle managed to pull one back in the 90th minute through Antony Gordon, but it was not enough to secure a draw. Barcelona’s young talent Lamine Yamal was absent due to injury and did not feature in the match.
Other Champions League results on Thursday were as follows:
Manchester City 2–0 Napoli
Newcastle United 1–2 Barcelona
Sporting CP 4–1 Kairat Almaty
Eintracht Frankfurt 5–1 Galatasaray
FC Copenhagen 2–2 Bayer Leverkusen
Club Brugge 4–1 Monaco
Analysts praised Barcelona’s performance as an encouraging start to the new season. Rashford’s impact, quick decision-making, and clinical finishing played a key role in securing the win.
With this victory, Barcelona begins the group stage on a strong note, positioning themselves at the top of the standings. The team will look to maintain this form in the upcoming matches and continue their push toward the knockout stages.
