Saturday 16 August marks the date that Joan Garcia, Marcus Rashford and Jofre Torrents all made their competitive debuts for FC Barcelona. The Catalan keeper started for the team at the Son Moix stadium against Mallorca in the gameweek one fixture of the LaLiga 2025/26 season, while the Englishman and the young Catalan came off the bench in the 69th minute of the 3-0 win for Hansi Flick's team. 

Starter in preseason and competitive games

Hansi Flick selected the Catalan goalkeeper for the first competitive game, but he had already been the starter for the all four Barça games in preseason – the three on the Asian tour, plus the Joan Gamper Trophy game last Sunday. So, the era of Joan Garcia Pons as blaugrana keeper has officially begun, and the Son Moix stadium will likely always hold fond memories for the Catalan as the place where his time as an FC Barcelona player began in earnest. Let's hope it's the first of many matches and that the new stopper can delight the FC Barcelona fans for years to come.

Rashford gets debut too

Marcus Rashford took to the pitch in the 69th minute and despite his cameo being brief, he showed a high level of intensity and a notable work rate, proving very active in attack and helping the team keep up the pressure on the opponents. The fans seemed happy with his efforts and will be eager to see more of his talent in the games to come.

A dream come true

The game at Son Moix was also notable for the debut of a young La Masia talent in Jofre Torrents. The Catalan also entered the fray on 69 minutes to play on the right flank and showed assurance and quality on the ball. Albeit he was only on the pitch for a short period, he showed his defensive commitment and adaptability for helping progress the ball, signs he can be an important player for the team during the season ahead.

 

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