Europa League Play-off 2nd Leg

Manchester United 2:1 Barcelona

Old Trafford

Kick-off
Thu, 23 February 2023 @ 8:00pm GMT
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Discussion Your Lineup Prediction

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    Drawfull said:
    Today's dragging like Xmas Eve as a 7-year-old.
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    On the plus side, it feels like Christmas. I mean, this is the first time I think in 23-24 years that I feel confident and I actually look forward to playing Barca.

    I wasn't confident at all in 07/08. I thought they were the better team but somehow they failed to score over 2 legs and we managed to squeak through. Everything after that was extremely one-sided, until now.

    I'm not saying we will go through, I'm not being cocky. Football's unpredictable and they're a top class team, they could knock us out if they hit a top performance tonight. But for the first time in ages, I feel confident we can go toe-to-toe with them and knock 'em out.
     
    Strelok said:
    Yeah thanks.

    That's quite disputable imo. McT had the match of his life when he scored two goals against Leeds couple seasons ago I think. What a finish that was any striker would be proud of imo.

    Agree that match against Arsenal as well. And not the the Park brothers but the Silva ones I think mate. We've never had more than one Park here I think :D
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    Silva, not Park yeah. :lol:
    Time to go home from work it seems.
     
    Today is the day we need to be prepared for some changes I think. It's all about Sunday.
    I can see Malacia, Wan Bissaka, and Antony starting. The rest of the team as always.
     
    Borys said:
    Today is the day we need to be prepared for some changes I think. It's all about Sunday.
    I can see Malacia, Wan Bissaka, and Antony starting. The rest of the team as always.
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    Antony will start if fit I think but I'm not sure he is. Shaw will be left back.

    I think Malacia is good but still not top level
     
    Ronaldo's ego said:
    They’ll be full blown cnuts tonight. Varane, Casemiro and Licha’s experience will be crucial I feel. I expect us to do them, just have to stay focused and not flustered with their gamesmanship.
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    That is where we have an advantage.
     
    MadMike said:
    On the plus side, it feels like Christmas. I mean, this is the first time I think in 23-24 years that I feel confident and I actually look forward to playing Barca.

    I wasn't confident at all in 07/08. I thought they were the better team but somehow they failed to score over 2 legs and we managed to squeak through. Everything after that was extremely one-sided, until now.

    I'm not saying we will go through, I'm not being cocky. Football's unpredictable and they're a top class team, they could knock us out if they hit a top performance tonight. But for the first time in ages, I feel confident we can go toe-to-toe with them and knock 'em out.
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    I've gone with 2:1 like most of the caf, but I'm about the same as you with tonight. I do think we'll go through, but there's always a chance they turn it on. That said, our OT record since the start of the season has been fantastic.
     
    We will probably blow them off the pitch, but you never know. 3-0.
     
    Not really very confident we’ll go through tonight, but whoever wins must surely be clear favourites to go on and win the tournament.
     
    buckooo1978 said:
    the nagging doubts are fading for me

    have a feeling this will be a great night - Old Trafford will be bouncing and we will put in an energetic performance - reckon we will be well up for this
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    I know what you mean. I get PTSD from all the false dawns we’ve had in recent years. Even now I’m constantly skeptical thinking we’re just going through a purple patch and we are going to have a calamitous few games.

    But all that fear disappears when I remember we have ETH who is probably the greatest manager ever.
     
    Chief123 said:
    I know what you mean. I get PTSD from all the false dawns we’ve had in recent years. Even now I’m constantly skeptical thinking we’re just going through a purple patch and we are going to have a calamitous few games.

    But all that fear disappears when I remember we have ETH who is probably the greatest manager ever.
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    If we lose there's no chance we'll do so like the timid mice of recent years. I have confidence that the team's giving it their all in every game now and their's nothing to suggest that's going to change.
     
    MadMike said:
    On the plus side, it feels like Christmas. I mean, this is the first time I think in 23-24 years that I feel confident and I actually look forward to playing Barca.

    I wasn't confident at all in 07/08. I thought they were the better team but somehow they failed to score over 2 legs and we managed to squeak through. Everything after that was extremely one-sided, until now.

    I'm not saying we will go through, I'm not being cocky. Football's unpredictable and they're a top class team, they could knock us out if they hit a top performance tonight. But for the first time in ages, I feel confident we can go toe-to-toe with them and knock 'em out.
    Click to expand...

    Barcelona 07-08 finished third in the league, 18 points behind Madrid. Only 3 points ahead of the fifth classified. The team was in free fall.
     
    Niemans said:
    Barcelona 07-08 finished third in the league, 18 points behind Madrid. Only 3 points ahead of the fifth classified. The team was in free fall.
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    But with world class players all over the pitch apart from the gk.
    And Barca just won the CL only 2 years ago with the same manager.
    All it was needed was one of those players scoring just one goal and it would have been over for us (as Ronaldo missed the pen at Camp Nou).
     
    As good as that first leg performance was and how much anticipation there is for tonight's game as a result, I would still not be that bothered if we rest key players tonight and lose this one. Sunday is 100 times more important to the club than this one and if I had to pick one to win, it would be Sunday.
     
    Niemans said:
    Barcelona 07-08 finished third in the league, 18 points behind Madrid. Only 3 points ahead of the fifth classified. The team was in free fall.
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    Still a team with Deco, Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Eto'o, Henry. A team that could and did hide the ball and have you chasing shadows, pretty regularly. They had also gone into that game in good form, with like 5 wins on the trot. Not really in free fall at all at that point in the season.
     
    I would take Sunday over this, but I don't want a demoralising smashing from them.
     
    MadMike said:
    Still a team with Deco, Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Eto'o, Henry. A team that could and did hide the ball and have you chasing shadows, pretty regularly. They had also gone into that game in good form, with like 5 wins on the trot. Not really in free fall at all at that point in the season.
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    No, they were in terrible form: they won 1 out of the last 7 league games before the first leg, got knocked out of the Copa del Rey in that period, and lost 2-0 to Deportivo between the two United games.

    But their starting line-up at Old Trafford was undoubtedly much stronger than what it's going to be tonight:

    Valdes, Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Abidal, Toure Yaya (Gudjohnsen 88), Messi, Xavi, Deco, Iniesta (Henry 60), Eto'o (Bojan 72).

    I mean, man for man that's probably a better side than ours that night. We worked better as a team, thankfully.
     
    bosnian_red said:
    Nah. That tends to happen when he's asked to be something he isn't. Doesn't usually happen with Casemiro in, doesn't usually happen in big games where we take more of a counter attacking system as is likely tonight.
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    Something in what you say. I’ll not be complaining if he starts, but I’m not certain his performances are as easy to predict as you think :)
     
    67962777-11780659-image-m-42_1677077899991.jpg


    xavi arrived with two bags for an overnighter!? i wonder which one is destined for the ref’s room.
     
    If the ref lets this game flow it could be a brilliant game.

    Think he’ll fall for the constant rolling and screaming that’ll inevitably happen though.
     
    This game has all the ingredient of the United vs Madrid in 2013 with Nani's red card.

    Bet on Fred doing the same with two yellow on Busquets and Alba.

    And I can see them both smiling a la David Luiz.

    Hope I am wrong.
     
    Excuse me, what TV channel is this on in the UK please?
     
    I am so buzzing for this, maybe the most excited I've been for a Utd match in many years, and yet it's only a fecking round of 32 Europa tie :lol:
     
    Some podcast said quite rightly that it’s more important to beat Barca than to progress to the next round. EL isn’t all that important this year.

    Fearing a Lewa show tonight, though. Think Barca will shock a few.
     
    Massive Spanner said:
    I am so buzzing for this, maybe the most excited I've been for a Utd match in many years, and yet it's only a fecking round of 32 Europa tie :lol:
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    This should be a CL semi-final.

    And I mean that literally: the winner should automatically qualify for the CL final, just to feck with people's minds.
     
    I've a feeling we'll win comprehensively.
    I thought Barca were disappointing in the first leg. They lack a cutting edge in attack
     
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Post-match discussion

Man of the Match

Fred image Fred 50% of 410 votes

Runners-up

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Player Ratings

7.0 Total Average Rating

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Compiled from 373 ratings.
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Score Predictions

195,21,15
  • Man Utd win
  • Barcelona win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 42% Man Utd 2:1 Barcelona
  • 14% Man Utd 3:1 Barcelona
  • 13% Man Utd 2:0 Barcelona
  • 6% Man Utd 3:2 Barcelona
  • 5% Man Utd 1:2 Barcelona
  • 4% Man Utd 1:0 Barcelona
  • 3% Man Utd 1:1 Barcelona
  • 3% Man Utd 3:0 Barcelona
  • 3% Man Utd 2:2 Barcelona
  • 1% Man Utd 5:0 Barcelona
  • 1% Man Utd 0:1 Barcelona
  • 1% Man Utd 0:2 Barcelona
  • 1% Man Utd 4:2 Barcelona
  • 1% Man Utd 2:3 Barcelona
  • 0% Man Utd 6:0 Barcelona
  • 0% Man Utd 0:0 Barcelona
  • 0% Man Utd 1:3 Barcelona
  • 0% Man Utd 0:3 Barcelona
  • 0% Man Utd 4:1 Barcelona
  • 0% Man Utd 0:5 Barcelona
Compiled from 231 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Man Utd
  2. Barcelona
Possession
42% 58%
Shots
12 6
Shots on Target
5 3
Corners
1 2
Fouls
13 12

Referee

Clement Turpin

Man Utd Lineup

Substitutes

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