Hansi Flick hails Marcus Rashford as Barcelona prepare for Newcastle test

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick is confident there is more to come from “unbelievable” England striker Marcus Rashford as he returns to his native country with Champions League points at stake.

The 27-year-old, who scored in his country’s 5-0 World Cup qualifier victory over Serbia last week, will hope to repeat the feat against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Thursday evening in the colours of the club he has joined on loan from Manchester United for the season.

Speaking at St James’ Park on Wednesday evening, Flick said: “I think I have to look a little bit back because I have really followed Marcus since he started at Manchester and I always said ‘Wow! What kind of player he is, he is unbelievable’.

“He has speed but also in a one-against-one situation, he’s really fantastic and also his finishing, it’s unbelievable.

“What I saw in the first weeks here, it’s really good and I think he also some more potential he can show us and of course he wants to do this. For me, it’s great to have in in my team.”

Rashford headed for Spain after his time at Old Trafford descended into misery and after spending the second half last season on loan at Aston Villa.

He could find himself on the same pitch as Newcastle’s £69million record signing Nick Woltemade, a 23-year-old Germany international whose rise has excited compatriot Flick.

The former Germany boss said: “I think he has a lot of potential to improve. I’m really happy Germany now has a number nine, a really good number nine.”

Flick’s focus in the short-term is launching a Champions League campaign in which his side will be fancied to go all the way after losing out to Inter Milan in dramatic style in the semi-finals last season with victory on Tyneside.

Asked if Barca are one of the favourites to win the title, he replied: “I don’t know, I don’t think about this because I know that it’s a long, long way and we have fantastic teams in this competition.

“Everyone at the end wants to win the Champions League and we also. I have the feeling in Barcelona everyone is looking for that.

“But what I can say is we will work hard, we will learn every day to get better and better, and we will see what happens at the end of the season.”

Emerging with all the points on Thursday, however, may be easier said than done with former Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen having warned his team-mates they will walk into a cauldron on Gallowgate.

Asked about the atmosphere they can expect, Christensen said: “Hansi has just asked me the same question in the car and I was pretty fast to say it’s one of the best, if not the best, especially now.

“I can only imagine on a Champions League night – that’s the first time for me – but just being here in the Premier League, it’s something we have to be ready for because it’s something they are going to feed on for a big part of the game and get energy from.”