Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is counting on Marcus Rashford to step up when the Catalans begin their Champions League campaign against Newcastle on Thursday, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal sidelined by injury.

Rashford, who delivered an assist in Barcelona’s stunning 6-0 thrashing of Valencia on Sunday, has caught the eye of his German coach since arriving from Manchester United.

“I really follow Marcus (Rashford) since he started with Manchester United. And I always said, ‘Wow! What a player he is!’,” Flick told reporters at Wednesday’s press conference in Newcastle.

“He has speed, but also, in one-against-one situations, it’s really fantastic. And also finishing, it’s unbelievable.

“What I saw from him in the first weeks here, it’s very good. And I think also he still has potential to show us more.”

Yamal, who started the season strongly with two goals and two assists in LaLiga, will miss Thursday’s clash due to a hip injury on international duty with Spain. The 17-year-old may also be doubtful for Sunday’s match against Getafe.

Barcelona will also be without Alejandro Balde and Gavi, plus long-term absentee Marc-Andre ter Stegen, though Frenkie de Jong is available for selection.

“We all know that Lamine (Yamal) is not playing against Newcastle, maybe not on Sunday (against Getafe),” Flick said. “But at the end, we have a strong team and in his position we have Marcus Rashford. If someone up front cannot play, he can step up and play like he showed on Sunday against Valencia. That is how good he is. I hope that he can show in England the same performance he did on Sunday.”

The German coach remains confident about his team’s Champions League prospects despite facing stiff competition. “I’m not thinking about who the favourite is (to win the Champions League this season). There are some very good teams, mainly coming from the Premier League,” he said.

“What we saw against Valencia was very positive. We are playing well in all areas. With this confidence, it is important to play tomorrow. They are very strong, but we are confident.”

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Osimhen’s injury is also causing unease in Turkey, where Galatasaray are counting on their record signing for key matches this month.

The Turkish champions are scheduled to face Eyupspor in the Super Lig on September 14, before a crucial Champions League group opener against Eintracht Frankfurt on September 18.

Club officials have confirmed that Osimhen will undergo medical checks upon his return to Istanbul, but fears linger that he could miss one or both fixtures.

Given his explosive start to life at Galatasaray, his absence would be a huge blow as the club seeks to maintain domestic dominance and make a strong impression in Europe.

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Following is a list of the teams that have qualified for the league phase of this season’s Champions League.

Teams are divided into four pots for the draw, based on their club coefficient. Each team will play against two others from each pot, with one match held at home and the other away.

Projected pots

Pot 1: Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona.

Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Club Brugge.

Pot 3: Tottenham Hotspur, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax Amsterdam, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiakos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Olympique de Marseille.

Pot 4: FC Copenhagen, Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Qarabag, Athletic Bilbao, Newcastle United, Pafos, Kairat.

Teams will be prevented from facing rivals from their own country and will be limited to playing against only two clubs from any single country.

The league-phase draw will take place on Thursday in Monaco with the first matches scheduled to be played from September 16 to 18. The final will be played on May 30 2026 at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary.

-Reuters

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