Manchester United vs Barcelona (Thursday, 1.30 PM)
Fallen giants Barcelona and Manchester United will renew hostilities as soon as once more, days after locking horns within the first leg of the Europa League Round of 32 on the Camp Nou. This time their battleground: the legendary Old Trafford.
Last week, United seemed like a workforce as they pulled off a 2-2 draw towards the Catalan membership after going 0-1 down with a pinpoint header from former Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso. If this was the Manchester United of previous couple of seasons, they’d be rolling and conceding a couple of instances extra, even with out the grit or penetrating energy to get again within the match. But this United beneath Erik ten Haag is a unique animal altogether.
Channeling the never-say-die spirit of the Red Devils of the previous, United broke down the Barcelona protection and went 2–1 up in a single fell swoop, because of an personal objective from a burning Marcus Rashford and Barca defender Jules Conde. Courtesy of. They would ultimately win from a Rafinha shock objective, however wouldn’t give an inch to their embellished opponents for the remainder of the match.
Barcelona would see a flurry of assaults proper after the demise, because the Spanish aspect got here very near wrapping up the match, however one way or the other, United survived that onslaught.
Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his workforce’s second objective throughout the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Leicester City at Stamford Bridge Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, February 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
United have an virtually excellent dwelling file within the Europa League, with the one setback being their defeat towards Real Sociedad in September. Meanwhile, Barcelona have misplaced 2 video games and gained 1 in Europe this season.
To make issues worse, the Blaugrana must journey to England with out their midfield generals Gavi and Pedri, the previous out because of suspension and the latter coping with an damage he suffered within the first leg. These are simply the most recent additions to the sideline for Barca, with Sergio Busquets and Ousmane Dembele each prone to be unavailable once more after lacking out on the earlier fixture.
United, alternatively, can depend on the providers of World Cup-winning defender Lisandro Martinez and on-loan midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, each of whom missed the Nou Camp match because of suspension. Playmaker Christian Eriksen would be the solely main omission for the Red Devils with the midfielder out till early April, however the workforce has an acceptable substitute in Sabitzer.
Andreas Christensen of Barcelona, ​​left, Ronald Araujo, heart, and Gavi are seen after the top of the Europa League playoff first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Manchester United at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, ​​Spain, Thursday, February 16, 2023. have been The sport ended at 2–2. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu Parra)
The United outfit are brimming with confidence in the meanwhile which is translating into the performances of most important man Marcus Rashford. Playing with a spring in his step after too lengthy, Rashford is a person reborn beneath Ten Haag. The composure and precision he confirmed when scoring United’s opening objective, additionally from an virtually inconceivable angle, is a ability solely a participant can possess, not to mention rating, with the utmost assurance. Is. Coming into Thursday’s conflict with one other match-winning efficiency towards Leicester City on the weekend, the place he scored a brace, the Barcelona protection must be cautious of a participant working on the peak of his powers.
United have saved Robert Lewandowski unusually quiet on the Nou Camp however they are going to be deluded into complacency. With Rapinha the one participant who actually seemed harmful towards a United backline within the first leg, the Polish striker will look to translate his La Liga type into his European excursions as quickly as attainable.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
