Marcus Rashford’s fire and Ferran Torres’s spark: Barcelona’s attacking storm is brewing just in time for the Clasico against Real Madrid.

After sweeping last season’s domestic treble, few expected Barcelona to stumble out of the gates in 2025/26, especially with Marcus Rashford in such splendid form. But as autumn deepens, Hansi Flick’s men have found themselves facing uncomfortable murmurs about inconsistency.

A couple of defeats have tempered early-season optimism. Flick’s pressing system still promises intensity and flair, but its execution has been uneven, especially in transitions and finishing phases.

And so, Sunday’s El Clasico arrives not just as another high-profile fixture, but as a litmus test. A chance to restore authority, reaffirm identity, and answer a few tactical questions that have been simmering quietly beneath the surface.

Yet, Flick might have reasons to be quietly confident. Marcus Rashford is rediscovering his devastating rhythm at precisely the right time, while the return of Ferran Torres add power and unpredictability to Barcelona’s attacking puzzle.

Add to that the psychological residue of last season’s twin wins over Madrid, a 4–0 rout at the Bernabeu and a thrilling 4–3 victory at home, and there’s a sense that Barça could once again tilt the balance.

A Season Searching for Momentum

Barcelona’s start has not been disastrous by any stretch; they sit within touching distance of the league leaders and have looked sharp in Europe, but the old question about consistency keeps resurfacing. Hansi Flick’s attempt to balance youth and experience, control and chaos, hasn’t always clicked from one week to the next.

The high defensive line has sometimes exposed the back four, while the midfield press does not always recover in time. Individual lapses, rather than systemic meltdown, have cost points. But Flick has stuck to principle: play vertically, keep width, and exploit transitions. That is where Marcus Rashford’s resurgence suddenly matters more than ever.

Marcus Rashford: Confidence Reborn Under Flick at Barcelona

After a difficult start in Spain marked by adaptation and form struggles, Marcus Rashford has burst back to life at FC Barcelona. In 12 appearances across all competitions, he has five goals and six assists, including a blistering performance in the 6-1 win over Olympiacos, where he netted twice and set up another.

It is not just the numbers, it is the manner in which his contributions have come. Rashford looks liberated again. Flick’s 4-2-3-1 system grants him room to attack the half-spaces from the left, with the license to drift inside when play progresses.

The German manager’s insistence on vertical passing has reawakened the English international’s trademark traits: direct running, acceleration, and the ability to stretch defensive lines. Against teams like Real Madrid, who maintain a relatively high back line under Xabi Alonso, that could be decisive.

Flick often instructs his Barcelona full-backs to hold width, allowing Marcus Rashford to attack the channel between full-back and centre-back, a zone where Real Madrid have looked particularly vulnerable this season. Whether it is Dani Carvajal/Trent Alexander-Arnold or Eder Militao tracking him, Rashford’s pace and movement could make things interesting.

“Confidence breeds courage on the ball,” Flick said after the Olympiacos win. Rashford seems to have found both again, at the exact point when Barcelona need them most.

Lamine Yamal’s Spark

While Marcus Rashford brings directness and explosiveness for Barcelona, Lamine Yamal’s return from injury offers Barcelona a different advantage, structure. The Spanish attacking sensation has stuggled with some issues, but his recovery has given Hansi Flick a significant tactical boost ahead of the Clasico.

Yamal’s primary value lies in how he preserves width. During his absence, Barcelona’s attacking play looked predictable, often funnelled through central areas. His deliveries from wide areas, especially against Real Madrid’s shifting backline, could be critical in late-game scenarios when control and penetration become equally important.

Ferran Torres: The Unsung Contributor

If Marcus Rashford’s form has drawn headlines and Lamine Yamal’s fitness has drawn attention, Ferran Torres has quietly built a case for himself as Barcelona’s most improved player this season. In just 647 minutes of first-team football, the Spaniard has contributed six goals, a reflection of his efficiency and maturity.

Under Flick, the Spanish attacker’s role has evolved. No longer a pure winger, he is often seen operating as an inside forward, finding pockets between lines and pressing aggressively when out of possession. His timing of runs, particularly when the opposition full-backs overload forward, has made him a useful tactical asset.

Torres’s return to full fitness, as reported earlier this week, will allow Flick to rotate intelligently and maintain pressing intensity across both flanks. The Ferran-Rashford combination, one giving composure, the other chaos, has already shown signs of chemistry. If Flick unleashes them together against Real Madrid, Barcelona might have a balance of attack that has eluded them since the early weeks of the season.

The Psychological Edge

History is also on Barcelona’s side. Last season’s meetings were not just victories, they were statements. A 4-0 demolition at the Bernabeu and a 4-3 home triumph established a sense of superiority that still lingers. Hansi Flick’s charges know they can outscore and outplay Real Madrid on their day.

But psychological edges are fragile. Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid have developed resilience in big games, and no player epitomises that more than Kylian Mbappe, whose pace could test Barça’s still-settling back line. That said, the combination of self-belief and attacking productivity could tip emotional balance toward Flick’s camp once again.