Marcus Rashford will have to wait longer than anticipated to make his first appearance for Barcelona after the club withdrew from their scheduled pre-season fixture in Japan.
The 27-year-old forward, who completed his loan move from Manchester United on Wednesday, was set to potentially feature against Vissel Kobe this Sunday.
However, Barcelona have been forced to cancel their participation in the Japanese fixture due to what they describe as significant contractual violations by the event organisers.
The England international's debut has now been pushed back, with the striker unlikely to don the famous Blaugrana colours until later in the pre-season tour.
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|Marcus Rashford will have to wait longer than anticipated to make his first appearance for Barcelona after the club withdrew from their scheduled pre-season fixture in Japan
Barcelona released an official statement shortly after confirming Rashford's signing, explaining their decision to pull out of the Japanese leg of their Asian tour.
The club cited "serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promoter" as the reason for cancelling their participation in Sunday's planned match.
The statement expressed regret about the situation and acknowledged the disappointment it would cause to their Japanese supporters.
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|Marcus Rashford had been due to make his Barcelona debut against Japanese side Vissel Kobe
Barcelona indicated they are considering adjusting their tour schedule to focus on South Korea, where fixtures against FC Seoul on 31 July and Daegu FC on 4 August remain scheduled.
The club specified that their participation in the Korean matches would depend on the promoter meeting certain conditions.
The postponement means Rashford could now make his first appearance in Barcelona colours against FC Seoul on 31 July, provided the club travels to South Korea.
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This gives the Manchester United academy product additional time to integrate with his new teammates on the training pitch.
The four-day delay from the originally anticipated debut allows the 27-year-old more opportunity to adapt to Hansi Flick's tactical system.
Rather than being thrust into action this Sunday, Rashford will have extra preparation time to familiarise himself with Barcelona's playing style.
The forward, who will sport the No 14 shirt during his loan spell, is expected to join up with Flick's squad in the coming days as they continue their pre-season preparations.
During his introductory press conference, Rashford expressed enthusiasm about his new chapter, stating he was "very excited" to join Barcelona and that it already felt "like home".
He singled out teenage sensation Lamine Yamal for particular praise, declaring: "He's a special talent. For me, last season he was one of the best players in the world, if not the best."
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Getty | Marcus Rashford singled out Lamine Yamal for praise following his transfer to Barcelona
The financial arrangements see Barcelona covering Rashford's entire £325,000 weekly salary during the loan period.
The agreement includes a £26million purchase option for summer 2026, though a permanent transfer would likely involve reduced wages.
Rashford's competitive debut is scheduled for August 16 in La Liga against Mallorca.