Manchester United’s Europa League play-off with Barcelona is still wide open after the sides played out a thrilling 2-2 draw tonight at Camp Nou.
Barcelona predictably dominated possession for large parts of the first half, although it was the Premier League side that created the better of the chances. Wout Weghorst fired straight at Marc-Andre Ter Stegen when clean through on goal while Marcus Rashford’s curling effort forced the Barca ‘keeper into a superb save.
The Catalan side would take the lead in the 50th minute when former Chelsea man Marcos Alonso headed home a corner at the back post. United equalised just two minutes later though, with on-fire attacker Marcus Rashford hammering a clinical finish past Ter Stegen at his near post.
Manchester United then took the lead just before the hour mark after some brilliant work from Rashford from a short corner forced Jules Kounde to bundle into his own net from a couple of yards out.
The La Liga leaders would make it 2-2 and set the second leg up perfectly on 76 minutes when the impressive Raphina’s pacey cross evaded everyone and nestled in the bottom corner.
🗣️ – Xavi: “I said to Ten Hag, congratulations you are doing very well. This is Manchester United.” #mufc pic.twitter.com/5fPMKOMXp7
— UtdXclusive (@UtdXclusive) February 16, 2023
Speaking afterwards Barcelona boss Xavi was pleased with his team’s performance and suggested that both his side and Man United are teams on the rise under their current management.
“It was a really tough game, really difficult with a lot of intensity, passion, and rhythm,” Xavi told BT Sport. ”I think we have to be proud because we competed really well until the end. We could have won in the last two chances but we played today against a top team in Europe.
”I think Manchester United is coming back and today they showed the best version. We competed really well, we need to be proud. Now we need to compete well in Old Trafford.”
“I think both teams are more or less in the same moment, in the same position that we are coming back. I say to Erik Ten Hag congratulations because his is doing very well, but they are Manchester United.
”Yes it can be a final, or semi-final or quarter-final in the future of Champions League but now we are in Europa League, we are coming back and today we show a very good performance from both teams.”
