UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Can Marcus Rashford play for Aston Villa in RO16 clash against Club Brugge?
UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Can Marcus Rashford play for Aston Villa in RO16 clash against Club Brugge?
Aston Villa travels to Club Brugge for the first-leg of their UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 at the Jan Breydel Stadium
One of the biggest talking points ahead of the clash is whether Rashford, who joined Villa on loan from Manchester United in the January transfer window, will feature for the Clarets in the top-tier of European club football competition.
Article 32.01 of the current season’s UEFA regulations states, “After the completion of the league phase and before the start of the knockout phase, a club may register a maximum of three new eligible players for the remaining matches in the current competition.”
Rashford has already featured for Manchester United in the Europa League this season, scoring in a 3-3 draw. Therefore the question arises whether he can feature on another club in a separate European competition when he is on loan.
The answer is yes, he can. Loan players can also play for different clubs as long as they are registered in accordance with UEFA’s rules and regulations.
“Any or all of the players from the above quota may have been fielded for another club in the qualifying phase, play-offs or league phase of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League or UEFA Conference League,” says Article 32.03 of the UEFA.
To be eligible to play in the knockout phase of this season’s European competitions, players must be registered by midnight of February 6 2025, at the latest.
