Barça face their greatest check of 2023 up to now seeking to show they will compete in opposition to certainly one of Europe’s hottest groups
FC Barcelona vs Manchester United
Competitors/Spherical: 2022-23 UEFA Europa League, Knockout Playoffs, 1st leg
Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Sergio Busquets, Ousmane Dembélé (out - harm)
Man Utd Outs & Doubts: Anthony Martial, Antony, Christian Eriksen, Donny Van De Beek, Scott McTominay (out - harm), Lisandro Martínez, Marcel Sabitzer (out - suspension)
Date/Time: Thursday, February 16, 2023, 6.45pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 5.45pm GMT (UK), 12.45pm ET, 9.45am PT (USA), 11.15pm IST (India)
Venue: Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (ITA)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
Tips on how to watch on TV: TUDN (USA), Not Out there (Canada), BT Sport 2 (UK), SONY TEN 2 (India), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar Liga de Campeones (Spain), others
Tips on how to watch on-line: Paramount+ (USA), BTSport.com (UK), Movistar+ (Spain), others
Following an important win over Villarreal to take care of their good file in 2023 and their snug margin on the prime of the La Liga desk, Barcelona flip their attentions to Europe as they start their Europa League journey with the primary leg of their knockout playoff tie in opposition to Manchester United on the Best Stadium on Earth on Thursday evening.
The brand new Europa League knockout format established final season eradicated the Spherical of 32 and changed it with eight playoff ties between the groups that completed third within the Champions League group stage in opposition to the perimeters that got here in second of their Europa League teams. The eight group winners from the Europa League await within the Spherical of 16, but it surely’s secure to say that that is essentially the most anticipated tie of the complete event it doesn't matter what else occurs.
Barça and Manchester United have a wealthy historical past of high-profile European clashes, and it’s fairly unhappy that they're dealing with one another at this stage of the Europa League. However each side appear to be on their approach again to the highest of the continent, and each want to show their credentials in opposition to one another.
That is really an enchanting matchup between sides who're very related of their present trajectory, the transformational influence of their younger, vibrant coaches, and the type of play they make use of. Each are in unbelievable type and the winner of this tie would be the unquestionable favourite to win the Europa League, and this one really is nearly unimaginable to name.
From a Barça perspective, they're good in 2023 and driving a 16-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, the very best below Xavi Hernández. The coach discovered a four-midfielder system that works on each ends, and the protection led by the BACK quartet is the very best within the continent proper now.
However all the Blaugrana’s spectacular work for the reason that World Cup has been carried out in home competitors, and the final reminiscence of European soccer is a vastly disappointing Champions League group stage with just one level in 4 video games in opposition to Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. Barça weren't in a position to compete 4 months in the past, however their finest defenders had been all injured and Xavi was nonetheless making an attempt to suit sq. pegs into spherical holes.
It is a utterly totally different crew now, one that's mature, affected person and really tough to beat, and whereas the assault isn’t scintilating or high-scoring it's inventive and environment friendly sufficient to get outcomes in opposition to the very best groups in Spain, dwelling or street. Now they need to show they will do it in Europe, and there's no harder check than Erik Ten Hag’s United.
After a tough begin to his life in England the Dutchman has confirmed past a shadow of a doubt simply how nice of a coach he's. Ten Hag has completely reworked United in six months from a boring, gradual, weak crew to 1 that suffocates opponents and is able to scoring in each approach conceivable.
They need to preserve possession, however they will destroy you on the counter and have tall, harmful gamers in set items. Marcus Rashford is having the very best season of his profession and turning into each bit the participant he was alleged to be when he exploded onto the scene half a decade in the past. Casemiro has modified their midfield, and Bruno Fernandes is again to his finest.
They do come into this one with a variety of accidents and two key gamers out by means of suspension, however the backbone of the crew is unbroken and Rashford will play. It can't be overstated simply how nice he appears proper now, and Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo need to play good video games to decelerate the United winger. He’s their foremost outlet and their massive hope of getting a end result at Camp Nou, however the fantastic thing about Ten Hag’s system is that it empowers everybody to be a risk if given time on the ball and area to assault.
Barça’s nice protection will face its greatest check, and if they will maintain their very own the assault has an actual probability of getting objectives in opposition to a United backline lacking Lisandro Martínez, the center and soul of their protection. Luke Shaw shall be his substitute at center-back, and Barça merely should reap the benefits of that matchup if they've any actual hopes of profitable.
These are two large golf equipment in nice type enjoying a Champions League-worthy knockout tie within the Europa League in February. It’s bizarre, it sounds mistaken, but it surely’s what we received. And it must be all types of enjoyable.
Let’s freaking dance.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Ter Stegen; Araujo, Kounde, Christensen, Balde; De Jong, Kessie; Raphinha, Pedri, Gavi; Lewandowski
Man Utd (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Shaw, Malacia; Casemiro, Fred; Sancho, Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst
PREDICTION
Xavi’s Barça are in superb type however haven’t been examined in Europe in 2023. Ten Hag’s United are in superb type however haven’t been examined in Europe in 2023. These two groups couldn’t be extra related, and I consider the sport will present precisely that: 1-1 draw, and all the things left to be determined at Previous Trafford.
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