Manchester United came from behind to knock Barcelona out of the Europa League, securing their place in the last sixteen of the competition.
Second half goals from Brazilian duo Fred and Antony were enough to put the Premier League giants through at the expense of the La Liga leaders.
Carl Anka, Thom Harris and Dermot Corrigan analyse the main talking points from the game…
So, are Manchester United now the favourites to win the Europa League?
After such a dramatic, emotionally exhausting 180 minutes of end-to-end football, it’s easy to forget that this 4-3 aggregate victory for Manchester United only seals their spot in the Europa League round of 16, where eight other sides have been sitting comfortably for weeks.
There is plenty of work to be done if United are to pick up their first European trophy since Jose Mourinho’s Europa League success in Stockholm back in 2017, but a mixture of scintillating form, along with such a seismic, satisfying victory, sees Erik ten Hag’s men go into the next round of the competition with more confidence than most.
Of the clubs standing in their way, Premier League leaders Arsenal look the most threatening. The two English clubs can’t be drawn together in the next round, but the Gunners are clearly tough opposition, having beaten United in North London just a few weeks ago.
La Liga’s Real Sociedad could also pose a stern test, having topped United’s group earlier in the Europa League campaign. Imanol Alguacil’s side have been playing some inspirational football this season, having broken their all-time record for consecutive wins twice this season, racking up eight and nine-win streaks on separate occasions.
With a talented, young Bayer Leverkusen side, high-flying Freiburg, and Europa League experts Sevilla all in the hat, there could be some tantalising ties ahead.
This Mancunian momentum, though, is perhaps too strong to ignore.
Thom Harris
Ninety minutes that sum up Fred
Fred is a riddle wrapped in an enigma. A “do a bit of everything” player who is better off not being asked to do too much in a game. A ball-winning disruptor with a passing range too erratic to always take full advantage of the many times he wins the ball.
Ten Hag’s tactical plan in the first half saw Jadon Sancho (who was playing as the No 10) and Fred doing man-marking jobs on Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong respectively. Fred appeared to have specific instructions not to let De Jong turn and face goal (which is when the Dutchman can go on his press-resistant dribbles). Fred was busy but unsuccessful in his attempts to press De Jong. Couple this with superb off-ball movement from Busquets, and United’s midfield was overran.
And then, out of nothing, the Jekyll-like Good Fred emerged in the second half to counteract the Hyde of first. A well-taken touch and right-footed (shinned) goal from the Brazilian got things rolling and all of a sudden he had the confidence and clarity to pressure De Jong at the right moments.
Fred remains an odd player when his team are in possession and need to calm things down, but when games get stretched and you need someone to be a nuisance, he’s one of the best tools Ten Hag has.
Carl Anka
Xavi’s plan for Balde worked well, until it didn’t
Xavi made an attacking call at left-back, with teenager Alejandro Balde preferred to veteran Jordi Alba. The idea was for Balde to stay up the pitch and stretch the play — and the risks in this were shown early when Casemiro won the ball back and immediately released Bruno Fernandes into acres of space, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved Barca.
The risk appeared to have paid off when Balde’s neat turn tempted Bruno Fernandes into a jersey tug which referee Clement Turpin whistled for a penalty which Lewandowski converted for the opener. The 19-year-old had showed both technique and nous to help his team into the lead.
The flipside was more apparent after half-time, when Ten Hag’s tactical switch moved Bruno inside and put Antony wide right and United soon equalised. Still, Balde continued to push on, and might have been sent through on goal but Kessie’s pass was over-hit.
Balde was back in position, but unable to do anything, when the ball fell to Antony in the Barca box, and the Brazilian fired in for 2-1.
The Barca youngster had not had a bad game, and Xavi’s tactical switch was not exactly shown up, but Ten Hag will have been much happier with how things turned out.
Dermot Corrigan
Ten Hag gets his subs right
Wout Weghorst is in the Manchester United team to press from the front, receive the ball with his back to goal in central areas and to make off-ball runs that create space for others members of United’s front three. However, his lack of pace and aerial ability mean he can be a passenger in the moments when United lack control. Barcelona’s dominance in the first half meant Ten Hag could no longer continue with Weghorst’s impotent goal threat. Off went the Dutchman and on came Antony.
The move meant Bruno Fernandes could play as the 10 and Sancho moved to the left. It was the connection between United’s best on-ball creators that gave Fred the platform for the first goal, and Antony’s entry into the final third allowed Ten Hag’s side to get the second.
A word too on Antony. The Brazilian winger has had an odd first season at United; he understands the aspects of Ten Hag’s football that are taught in a classroom, but his on-field execution often lacks elegance, particularly in the final third. Around the hour mark, Aaron Wan Bissaka ran down the right flank and told Antony to advance further forward, as if to damn him for incorrect decision-making. But the winger’s experience of Ten Hag-ball at Ajax means he has a habit of popping up in the right place at the right time in the penalty area. His first-time hit put the punctuation on a brilliant team move and was a worthy go-ahead goal.
Carl Anka
Barca defence equipped for La Liga, but maybe not much else
Barca are strolling to the La Liga title, with their march to the trophy backboned by a watertight defence that has conceded just seven goals in 22 La Liga games so far.
But elsewhere, their back line has been much more porous — they conceded 12 goals in six group games, with zero clean sheets, as they fell out of the Champions League last autumn. They also conceded twice in both these Europa League legs against Manchester United, with goalkeeper Ter Stegen forced to make some decent saves in each game.
Barca have ridden their luck at times in La Liga, and rivals including Espanyol, Girona and Villarreal have all lamented poor finishing and/or some amazing saves by Ter Stegen in narrow Barca wins lately.
Other opponents have complained about refereeing decisions, with Cadiz very unhappy about a goal ruled out at the Camp Nou last weekend, amid all the current controversy about historic payments to officials.
But generally, it is not a great look for La Liga attacks. Lots of teams play too cautiously against Barca, while others are just unable to take the chances that they do create.
Defensive problems have led to two European exits for Barca already this season, and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior and company will fancy their chances in the looming Clasico Copa del Rey semi-finals.
Dermot Corrigan
Sergi Roberto deserves credit despite defeat
It’s safe to say Sergi Roberto hasn’t ever been a unanimous fan favourite at Barcelona. Now 31, however, in his 11th season as a professional at his beloved boyhood club, no one can question his commitment to the cause.
Largely pushed out to full-back throughout his peak years, the La Masia graduate has had to bide his time for minutes in midfield, but the absence of both Gavi and Pedri tonight gave Roberto a go in an intriguing, technically challenging role.
Fresh off the back of a goal and an assist against Cadiz on Sunday, Barcelona’s No 20 was everywhere at Old Trafford, nominally playing on the left of attack, but almost always inverting to form Xavi’s trademark box midfield.
Particularly in the first half, his darting runs into space were dangerous, while his composure and awareness to create passing options for his teammates, all while blocking those lanes for his opponents, contributed massively to a controlled opening 45 minutes.
Perhaps not as quick nor crafty as his shrewd and sharp-minded juniors, the versatile Roberto certainly deserves his flowers.
Thom Harris
(Photo: Alex Livesey – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
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