Two of the biggest clubs in the world have to park their history in the Champions League this Thursday for a battle in the Europa League as the five-time champions of Europe meet the three-time winners when Barcelona takes on Manchester United.
We take a look at the incredible history between these two clubs.
🍿 A selection of unforgettable Barça goals vs Manchester United #BarçaMUFC pic.twitter.com/YbLP39Apoh— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 15, 2023
🍿 A selection of unforgettable Barça goals vs Manchester United #BarçaMUFC pic.twitter.com/YbLP39Apoh
Despite all the success on the domestic front for Sir Alex Ferguson, in Europe, he always claims he underachieved. Just two Champions League titles came in during his 26-year reign at the club and in this time, Barcelona managed to beat him three times in the Champions League.
Four other European games ended in a draw, as Ferguson also guided United to a win in his first game against the Spanish club in a 2-1 win in the European Cup Winners Cup.
However, with that win coming all the way back in 1991, United’s only victory over Barcelona since the rebranding of the Champions League in 1992 came in 2008 after a Paul Scholes stunner.
Scholes’ effort from distance remains one of United’s most famous goals in Europe, and it was the only goal across two legs in what was Ferguson and Pep Guardiola’s first and only two-legged battle.
It was, however, the last win before a Barcelona takeover of Europe.
After losing in 2008 as United went on to win the Champions League, a year on in the Guardiola era at Barcelona saw them meet in Rome in the final.
This was part of two finals in three years between the Red Devils and Barcelona, as we got to witness arguably the greatest era of Champions League football from Lionel Messi and co.
Ferguson always claims the Barcelona 2011 team was the best he ever faced, but he also lost to them 2-0 in the 2009 final as well.
In 2009, United barely laid a glove on them in a 2-0 loss thanks to goals from Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi.
Messi scored again in the 2011 final at Wembley, but Wayne Rooney did equalise at one stage for United in a 3-1 loss that also saw Pedro and David Villa score.
These two were drawn against each other in the Champions League quarter-finals almost four years ago. Barcelona won comfortably that day, as Messi bagged a brace in the first 20 minutes before a Philippe Coutinho stunner.
United were beaten 4-0 on aggregate after Luis Suarez hit the ball onto Luke Shaw for an own goal in the 1-0 win at Old Trafford.