Marcus Rashford sends message to Aston Villa fans, Bruno Fernandes reacts
Marcus Rashford remained upbeat after Aston Villa secured a crucial first-leg victory over Club Brugge in their Champions League knockout tie.
Aston Villa took a big step towards the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win away from home against Club Brugge on 4 March.
Leon Bailey set the tone early, scoring within three minutes, but Brugge hit back just nine minutes later to level the game. It remained a tense affair until two late goals—one from a Marco Asensio penalty and an own goal— that gave Unai Emery’s side a strong advantage heading into the second leg.
Rashford has impressed since joining Aston Villa and started on the left wing but was substituted after 64 minutes for fellow loanee Asensio. Despite being taken off, the England international was in high spirits after the final whistle, celebrating the victory that leaves the side in control of the tie.
Bruno Fernandes and Morgan Rogers among players to react to Marcus Rashford’s message
Rashford took to Instagram after the win, sharing his excitement with the caption: “Champions League nights. We’re at the halfway stage! See you next week.”
Former Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes showed his support by liking the post. Villa teammates Morgan Rogers and Emi Martinez also reacted by liking the post.
Aston Villa fans are calling for Rashford to be signed permanently following his impressive performances and growing partnership with Asensio. Since arriving in January, he has assisted three of the Spaniard’s goals, and despite not scoring yet, Emery has trusted him to start in key fixtures.
| Season statistics (Since joining Aston Villa | Marcus Rashford |
| Appearances | 7 |
| Starts | 3 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 3 |
Aston Villa pushing to sign Marcus Rashford permanently amid standout performances
Mick Brown, who worked as a scout at both Villa and Manchester United, exclusively told Football Insider that Aston Villa are trying to make Rashford’s loan move permanent.
Although he hasn’t started a majority of matches, his impact has been clear, attracting interest from clubs across Europe. Football Insider also revealed that Barcelona and Bayern Munich are monitoring Rashford’s situation, which could explain why Villa are keen to secure him as soon as possible.
For now, Emery will hope Rashford remains focused as Villa prepare to face Brentford on 8 March before their decisive second-leg clash against Club Brugge.