Marcus Rashford will have to wait for European success after Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday

Marcus Rashford’s dream to win the Champions League with Barcelona is on hold after they crashed out in the quarter-finals.

The La Liga leaders were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid, losing 3-2 on aggregate. Despite levelling the tie half an hour into the second leg, the comeback wasn’t enough to overtake their Spanish rivals as Ademola Lookman scored to send Atleti into the final four.

Barcelona’s exit has seen Rashford’s previous comments resurface, after he backed his temporary team to win the tournament. Speaking after he signed for the Spanish giants on loan last summer, the Manchester United star was keen to secure every piece of silverware possible.

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Rashford told Spanish outlet SPORT: “Yes, for sure [Barcelona can win the Champions League]. Not only the Champions League, but everything. They had such a good season last year. So now it’s about forgetting last year, trying to recreate and even improve.”

The winger added: “They have the principles, otherwise you don’t win three trophies last season. I’m sure about this. The mentality and motivation is very high, so I don’t see why we can’t win all the trophies we are competing for.

“For me, the team is ready to win, and it’s about just helping the team in whichever way I can. The season is a long season, and there’s a lot of football to be played. Football is very unpredictable, so we’re going to have to adapt throughout the season.

“But I think the staff and the players have a strong mentality, so I think whatever challenges we’re going to face, we’ll be in a position to give our best to win.”

Rashford reaffirmed this stance after his brace against Newcastle during the league phase. When asked if there is a limit to Barcelona’s ambitions this season, he added: “It’s only to win it. Nothing else is on our minds. We know how tough the competition is.

“Playing for Barcelona is an amazing experience. I’ve always been a huge admirer of Barcelona. We want to win as much as possible. 100 per cent I’m full of excitement. I’m very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team excites me. It’s so refreshing to play with these players.”

With the disappointing exit on Tuesday, Rashford will have to put his European ambitions on hold for the time being. While he is slated to return to Manchester in the summer, there is a strong possibility he could rejoin Barcelona permanently if both clubs agree to a deal.

Barcelona had an option to make Rashford’s switch permanent for a fee of €30million (£26m), although this clause has reportedly now expired. Barca are also looking at other options, including Benfica’s Andreas Schjelderup.

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