"Rashford needs to be more clinical in front of the goal" - Hansi Flick

Hansi Flick demands more from his star Englishman. (Image credits - Heute, License Details)

FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has hailed the increasing influence of Marcus Rashford after the English forward scored his sixth goal for the club in their 3-1 La Liga win over Elche on Sunday. Rashford sealed the win with Barça's third goal, confidently finishing after being set up by Fermín López.

However, Flick stated that the 28-year-old still has room for improvement and needs to offer more infront of the goal.

"When you see the number of chances he gets, he could have scored one or two more, which would be great for him," said Hansi Flick in his post-match interview last week. He further added, "But we are happy with his performance. I'm very pleased because he's showing his quality for the fans, the club, and his teammates. He's a key player for us."

Rashford reborn in Barcelona

The on-loan Manchester United forward has now registered 12 goal involvements in 14 appearances this season — the highest of any Barcelona player so far. Despite his impressive form, Rashford confessed that he was not fully satisfied with his display against Elche.

“I always try to make the right decisions on the pitch,” said Rashford in a recent interview. “Today, I could have created or scored more. Sometimes I chose to pass instead of shoot, or the other way around. These things happen. The main thing is the team - and we won, so I'm happy. If I keep doing the right things, the goals and assists will come naturally.”

Barcelona took control of the game against Elche early on with Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres giving them a two-goal cushion before Rafa Mir pulled one back for Elche. Another highlight was the goal from Yamal, although Flick revealed the youngster is still managing a groin issue that needs careful handling.

"He's dealing with the injury well," said Flick during the post-match interview on Sunday. "It's not something that will disappear quickly. He's disciplined with training and treatment, which is helping. It's an ongoing process, but he's managing it smartly," further added the German manager.

The win helped Barcelona bounce back from last week's loss at Real Madrid and stay five points behind the league leaders. Flick was satisfied with much of what he saw but underlined that improvement was still a must.

"We did a lot of things very well but also made some mistakes," Flick stated. "Elche like to keep the ball, which made it difficult. We pressed them early and scored important goals, but we must be more clinical with our chances. It's another step forward -- three points and more confidence."

Barça now face Celta Vigo away from in La Liga after a disappointing draw against Club Brugge on Tuesday in the Champions League. Rashford will also be hoping to live upto his manager's words after a bleak performance in the midweek.