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Manchester United against all the odds pulled off a miraculous comeback against Paris Saint-Germain and booked their place in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. They are now set to face Spanish champions Barcelona FC in the last eight of the competition.
Red Devils will host the Catalans at the Old Trafford in the first leg of the tie on Wednesday night. The two traditional powerhouses of European football haven't faced each other in a competitive game since the Champions League 2011 final.
A lot has changed at both clubs since that game. Barcelona FC, empowered by Lionel Messi’s brilliance has emerged as one of the biggest clubs in Europe. On the other hand, since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, Manchester United has fallen through the ranks in Europe and are now trying to restore their old identity.
While a significant section of football experts and fans around the globe have already written off the Red Devils without a ball being kicked, here are three subtle reasons why Barcelona cannot afford to take Manchester United lightly, or they will risk being knocked out.
#3 United attack and their pace up-front
Barcelona has to be wary of United’s counter-attacking abilities and their speed up-front. Barcelona’s defense hasn’t been at its best this season, as they have shipped many goals in their domestic league. The prospect of their defence facing the Red Devils' pacy attack may be a scary one for them.
United's attack consists of players like Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba, and Jesse Lingard who may be too hot to handle for Barcelona’s defence. Moreover, United also have players like Alexis Sanchez and Juan Mata in their ranks which will create a further headache for the Catalan side.
On their day, the United attack can dismantle any defence in the world, and Barcelona’s defence will have to be on their toes if they want to stop the Red Devils.
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#2 Revitalized self-belief
One thing coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has ensured at Manchester United since his arrival is ensuring that his Red Devils play a fearless and attacking brand of football that has been missing since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Under Mourinho, the United side was predictable and had a pattern to the game, whereas since Solskjaer’s arrival, they look revitalized with a decent blend of attack and hold-up play. Most of all, the squad is now fearless, playing with more self-belief, and the players are now enjoying their football.
The Red Devils had already pulled off a near-impossible result in the Champions League when they came back from two goals down at Old Trafford in the first leg of their clash in Round of 16 against PSG to claim the win in the dying stages of the game at the Parc des Princes in the second leg.
There is no reason to believe that Manchester United cannot repeat their heroics against Barcelona too.
#1 Barcelona’s recent record in UEFA Champions League
One factor which will please United’s faithful the most is Barcelona’s recent record in the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona has not made it past the quarter-finals stage since the 2015 season.
In 2016, Atletico Madrid did the job to see off Barcelona before Juventus did the same in 2017. While their most embarrassing defeat came against the Roma side when the Romans coming back from 4-1 down in the first leg to defeat the Catalans 3-0 in the second leg of the quarter-finals.
Going into the tie, United are surely the underdogs, and they are aware of the pressure on Messi and co. to deliver on the grandest stage. If they can maintain this pressure on Barcelona and put on an effective attacking display, then Barcelona may crumble to the pressure once again.
