Former Villa assistant: Rashford should take Barcelona free kick. He needs an environment to protect him

Antonio Rodriguez, Emery’s former assistant coach, recently appeared on Catalan Radio’s Tot Costa program and talked about Rashford.

When asked whether Rashford is the ideal candidate for Barcelona to take direct free kicks, Rodriguez said without hesitation: "He often practiced free kicks during his time with us, and the quality of free kicks is excellent. If the position is too close to the penalty area, the crosshair is slightly missing, but after retreating four or five meters, the accuracy is extremely high."

"As the rhythm of the game adapts, he can become a key player in the league and the Champions League, because his potential is enough to deal with strong opponents like Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern." In the second half of last season, I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of training time with Rashford and share many moments with him through personalized training. Different from the outside world, Rashford is actually a very responsible player. Emery has successfully inspired his passion for football, and Barcelona is now realizing this. He showed his extraordinary strength three seasons ago, scoring more than 20 goals at Manchester United and running all over the field. "

" Rashford can adapt to the position of winger or center, with his speed. It has a unique advantage with his shooting ability. Emery considered introducing him in the winter window because he had already known that Rashford could play two positions and believed that he and Watkins could form one of the strongest strikers in the Premier League. Unfortunately, he did not get enough time to continue to work together in the regular starting lineup."

Talking about Rashford's shortcomings, Rodriguez said: "Rashford needs to improve his defensive awareness. After joining Villa, he realized that he must strengthen his defensive shooting without the ball. It is not easy for such a sharp offensive player. Under Emery's training, he can provide effective defense immediately after conceding the ball. "

"Through daily cooperation, I know that Rashford needs a club that can provide him with protection. Unleash all his talents in the right environment. Although changing countries and leagues requires an adaptation period, he is undoubtedly a world-class player and was once one of the top forwards in the Premier League. His speed, vertical breakthrough and individual combat ability will definitely contribute a lot to Barcelona.”