Manchester United and Barcelona produced a memorable night of football, with the Reds emerging from the Nou Camp with a creditable 2-2 draw in the first leg of our Europa League play-off tie.
The first half was lively enough, with the Reds unlucky not to be ahead at the break, before United overturned Marcos Alonso’s opener with three goals in eight second-half minutes – all before the hour mark – thanks to Marcus Rashford’s equaliser and a Jules Kounde own-goal.
United appeared to be running away with it at one point, but as the visitors did in the first half, Barça grew back into the game, and after Raphina’s equaliser, we withstood a period of pressure to keep the tie alive heading into next week’s second leg at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag believed his team had a good game plan going into the game, and the Reds overcame a strong Barça start to create a slew of first-half chances.
Bruno Fernandes was at the heart of Manchester United’s early play, flashing a dangerous cross in front of goal within 30 seconds.After connecting with Rashford’s cross, he had a shot well blocked by Jordi Alba, and Tyrell Malacia’s follow-up was also smothered. Aside from those chances, the home side had the upper hand in the first 20 minutes. In the ninth minute, Robert Lewandowski, facing United for the first time in a competitive match, nudged the ball clear of Luke Shaw to shoot left-footed across goal, but David De Gea palmed his strike clear.
Moments later, Marcos Alonso stood over a free-kick at the end of a probing move but whipped his effort inches over De Gea’s crossbar, and Gavi and Pedri combined as the latter fired over on the volley. A sloppy Jules Kounde backpass gave the Reds a corner, and it was from there that the tide of the first half began to turn.
Within five minutes, Ten Hag’s men had created four fantastic chances, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka pulling back to Sancho, who swept a first-time shot just wide with the help of a Frenkie de Jong deflection.
Fernandes was in the thick of it again, this time with a fantastic ball through the middle to find Weghorst, but Ter Stegen saved the Dutchman’s strike with his feet, and Casemiro was the next to benefit from Bruno’s vision, nodding a header straight at the Barça ‘keeper.
Following Rashford’s run on Sancho’s pass down the left channel, our no.10 struck early to force Ter Stegen into another smart save. Barça began to find some rhythm again before the break, with Wan-Bissaka forced into a superb last-ditch challenge on Alba, but it was the Reds who went into the break with the better chances.
The tone for the second half was immediately set, with both teams having chances to score even before the net bulged. Raphinha had struck narrowly wide with a vicious strike, and Sancho had side-footed agonisingly past the post at the other end, before Raphinha’s corner found Alonso at the back post, where he nodded into the ground and beyond De Gea.
The Reds, on the other hand, were undeterred, demonstrating great resolve to turn the game on its head in the next eight minutes. Fred threaded a brilliant pass down the right side of the area to Rashford, who beat Ter Stegen at his near post with an inch-perfect finish.
Rashford was in an imperious mood as he then played a key role in the goal that put us ahead. From a short corner, our no.10 turned Raphinha inside out, and his resulting cross was flicked on by Fernandes, leaving Kounde with no time to react when the ball struck him at the back post and was diverted into the net.
Rashford and his teammates were also upset after Kounde’s challenge on them as the last line of defence went unpunished, with our forward appearing to be dragged down by the Frenchman just outside the box.
For much of the night, Fred ran riot in midfield, channelling his energy to the edge of the box, where he threatened to extend our lead.
Disappointed to only get a draw. pic.twitter.com/8KmxHahibT
— Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) February 16, 2023
The Reds were held back by a goal that appeared out of nowhere. Raphinha cut on to his left foot to cross from the right side, and his delivery was so dangerous that it crept inside the far post for the equaliser.
Soon after, Rashford was found with time to shoot in the box, but this time he cut across the ball and sliced his effort Ten Hag’s team had to withstand a tense final period in which De Gea made acrobatic saves to deny Raphinha and substitute Ansu Fati. When the Spaniard was beaten in a pinball-like attack with five minutes remaining, the ball fortunately rebounded off Casemiro’s clearance rather than rippling the net. It was a slice of luck that United deserved for our fearless performance.
Barça appeared to have won it at the death when Ronald Araujo’s back-post header appeared to be heading into the net, but Malacia made a heroic save to ensure the Reds held on for a valuable point on a memorable night in Barcelona.
