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Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has an incredible plot in place, dubbed the “Anti-Rashford” plan, to neutralize the potent Manchester United striker.
Rashford is a man in red-hot form. He has scored 13 times in United’s last 15 games.
In the Premier League only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Ivan Toney have found the back of the net more than the United academy graduate.
In United’s recent games against Leeds, Rashford scored in each tie with brilliantly worked-headed finishes.
After the second match at Elland Road, Erik ten Hag branded the 25-year-old one of the best forwards in Europe.
This is something Xavi seems to agree with if a report by AS is anything to go by.
According to AS, Xavi plans to use the physicality and intensity of Ronald Araujo, who will be primarily deployed as a make-shift left-back to contain Rashford.
Ahead of the game tomorrow against the two sides, Rashford will be United’s most likely source of goals and attacking inspiration.
AS reports, “Xavi Hernández plans to give Ronald Araújo a great deal of responsibility ahead of Thursday’s game against Manchester United at Camp Nou. AS has learned, the Uruguayan centre-back will be in charge of monitoring the most dangerous forward of the English club and one of the fittest in the Premier, Marcus Rashford.”
“In any case, this man-marking will not mean that Araújo will necessarily end up positioning himself on the right side since one of the virtues of Rashford is his versatility, which is why he can play both on the left flank and as a 9 to drag defenders more centrally.”
“The priority objective is that the striker does not receive balls into space, his main strong point and where he generates the most danger.”
🚨 NEW:
Xavi plans to use Ronald Araujo as the ‘Anti Rashford’ in the match vs Manchester United – personally marking him the whole match, like Vinicius. @fansjavimiguel @ManagingBarca
— UtdPlug (@UtdPlug) February 14, 2023
Xavi also plans to use Raphinha to help in his team’s defensive responsibilities on the left flank to stop Rashford’s incursions.
The “Anti-Rashford plan” has worked for Xavi before. He used the same tactic to stop Real Madrid’s Vinicus Jr.
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