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Barcelona 2-2 Manchester United: Europa League Match report, player ratings, expert analysis, fan reaction and more

A high-tempo second half featuring all four goals on the night offered a springboard for positivity after Manchester United looked the better side against the current La Liga leaders, with Marcus Rashford once again finding the back of the net in the process

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Premier League giants Manchester United are set for a second-leg showdown at Old Trafford with current La Liga leaders Barcelona after a credible point was earned at the Spotify Camp Nou tonight across a 90-minute performance. The Red Devils can largely be viewed as the better of the two sides, and perhaps unlucky to not have taken all three points on their travels to Spain’s east coast on a night where Erik ten Hag’s men were denied a historic result against a familiar European opponent.

Both outfits enjoyed early half chances through Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski respectively as the two giants settled into an expected match rhythm revolved around Barça’s ability to dominate possession while United was happy to sit and look to counter through the likes of the aforementioned Rashford and Jadon Sancho.

A pair of big chances fell to United 30-minutes through both Wout Weghorst and Casemiro after the Dutchman was through on goal only for his effort to be kick-saved away by Marc-André ter Stegen, which was then followed up by a header from close range by the Brazilian midfielder that also fell straight at the German shot-stopper.

Rashford also tested Ter Stegen just minutes later after the England international dispatched a curved effort destined for the far post but the Barça number one parried it away expertly. Despite Barcelona’s dominance on the ball, Ten Hag’s Red Devils were unquestionably creating the bigger chances on the night at the Spotify Camp Nou and would go into half-time confident of finding the breakthrough.

Former Premier League adversary Marcos Alonso put Barcelona ahead in the 50th minute after the Spanish defender headed home from inside six yards at the back post after getting on the business end of Raphinha’s in-swinging corner, giving the Catalan side a leg up in the two-legged affair.

United would level matters just three minutes later through who else but Marcus Rashford when the English international star beat Ter Stegen low at his near post after being put through down the right channel via a perfectly weighted through ball from Fred. It was Rashford’s 22nd goal in all competitions this season, equalling his best-ever goal tally across his United career to date.

But the Spanish giants still had some fight left in them in front of expectant fans at their hallowed ground, when Lewandowski’s vaunted ability to find space in the box came to the fore after the Polish star first appeared to have re-directed Raphinha’s ball into the back of the net, only for replays to show that the former Bayern Munich icon failed to get a touch before the ball curled past De Gea.

Shouts for a handball went unanswered in the 85th minute after replays showed the ball clearly hitting Fred’s arm in the area, but despite the non-cal, Barça pushed for a winner and second-half substitute Ansu Fati nearly found the back of the net from a well-struck half volley in the area only for De Gea to turn it away while keeping proceedings deadlocked as stoppage time loomed.

The match would end where Raphinha’s equalizer left it, but United can certainly return to Old Trafford for the second justifiably full of confidence on the back of two away goals and looking the better side across the ninety minutes against the current La Liga leaders.

Barcelona Player Ratings

  • GK: Marc-André ter Stegen – 7
  • RB: Jules Koundé – 6
  • CB: Ronald Araújo – 6.5
  • CB: Marcos Alonso – 7
  • LB: Jordi Alba – 7
  • DM: Frenkie de Jong – 6.5
  • CM: Pedri – 6
  • CM: Franck Kessié – 6.5
  • RW: Raphinha – 8.5
  • LW: Gavi – 6.5
  • CF: Robert Lewandowski – 7
  • Sub: Sergi Roberto – 6
  • Sub: Andreas Christensen – 6
  • Sub: Ansu Fati – 6.5
  • Sub: Álex Balde – 6
  • Sub: Ferran Torres – 6

Manchester United Player Ratings

  • GK: – David de Gea – 7
  • RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 6
  • CB: Raphaël Varane – 6.5
  • CB: Luke Shaw – 6.5
  • LB: Tyrell Malacia – 7
  • CM: Casemiro – 7
  • CM: Fred – 7
  • CAM: Bruno Fernandes – 7
  • RW: Jadon Sancho – 6.5
  • LW: Marcus Rashford – 7.5
  • CF: Wout Weghorst – 6.5
  • Sub: Alejandro Garnacho –

Key Performers

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Andrew Thompson

US-based Football writer. German football guru with a wealth of experience in youth development and analysis. Data aficionado. Happily championing the notion that Americans have a knowledgeable voice in the beautiful game.

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