Manchester United v Barcelona – Combined XI

on

marcus rashford

Manchester United and Barcelona meet at Outdated Trafford on Thursday night for his or her a lot anticipated Europa League playoff second leg.


The 2 European heavyweights performed out an exciting 2-2 draw final week at Camp Nou to depart the second leg completely poised.


Forward of the conflict, we’ve determined to choose our Man United v Barcelona mixed XI.


Goalkeeper: Marc-Andre ter Stegen – Barcelona


Barcelona have discovered type underneath Xavi this season to create a major lead on the high of La Liga, with the membership’s defensive report a driving issue of their title cost.


The Spanish aspect have conceded simply seven targets in 22 league fixtures in the course of the present marketing campaign, recording 17 clear sheets.


Marc-Andre ter Stegen has twice as many clear sheets as his subsequent nearest challenger in La Liga and stays one of many final remnants from Barcelona’s final European title – the 2015 Champions League. The German has made 356 appearances for the Catalans, however at 30 stays one of many world’s greatest goalkeepers and part of the membership’s speedy rebuild.


Proper-back: Diogo Dalot – Manchester United


Diogo Dalot has cemented his standing as Manchester United’s right-back this season, with the defender starting to fulfil his potential within the Premier League.


Touted as Europe’s greatest full-back in his age group upon arriving at Outdated Trafford, it has taken time and improvement for Dalot to indicate that promise. This season the 23-year-old has been wonderful, having demonstrated defensive enchancment alongside the attacking risk he has lengthy carried.


He has been a key determine within the Crimson Devils’ improved again 4 and the membership are engaged on a contract to safe his long-term future. Aaron Wan-Bisakka was most popular to Dalot within the first leg, however after a optimistic displaying towards in final weekend’s 3-0 win Dalot is more likely to be recalled to the beginning XI on Thursday.


Centre-back: Ronald Araujo – Barcelona


Ronald Araujo is quick rising as one among world soccer’s greatest centre-backs, having been a cornerstone of Barcelona’s defensive report this season.


The Uruguayan has grown in stature to turn out to be a frontrunner of a Barcelona backline which has conceded simply seven La Liga targets up to now this season. Araujo’s managed aggression and athleticism are essential to the membership’s excessive defensive position and his return from muscular points earlier within the season and been an enormous enhance to Barcelona’s title cost.




Barcelona have averaged an enormous 2.82 factors per recreation with Araujo within the aspect this season, the very best of any La Liga participant.


Surprisingly used at right-back to fight the specter of Marcus Rashford throughout final week’s 2-2 draw, the 23-year-old can be hopeful he performs in his most popular central position at Outdated Trafford.

Centre-back: Lisandro Martinez – Manchester United


Lisandro Martinez has taken little time to turn out to be a terrace favorite at Outdated Trafford.


The summer time arrival from Ajax has been in good type for Erik ten Hag’s aspect this season, overcoming a troublesome begin to emerge as one of many Premier League’s most constant centre-backs. A nice distributer from the defensive position and stuffed with South American combating spirit, he has turn out to be a vastly common determine throughout his debut season in English soccer.




The combative Argentine – a World Cup winner in Qatar in the course of the winter – has captaincy credentials and Man United followers can be delighted to have him again after he missed final weeks match attributable to suspension.


Left-back: Luke Shaw – Manchester United


Luke Shaw is producing a number of the most interesting soccer of his profession this season, with the defender invaluable to Erik ten Hag’s enhancing workforce. Whether or not stationed at centre-back or his extra acquainted full-back position, the England defender has excelled.


Technically proficient and a sublime provider of the ball upfield, he produced an ideal first contact and pinpoint cross to arrange Marcus Rashford’s opener within the current win at Leeds. It was an instance of the artistic high quality he possesses and Barcelona might want to lower out the service he can present.


Midfield: Casemiro – Manchester United


Casemiro will do battle with Barcelona as soon as once more this week, having commonly duelled with the Spanish giants throughout a embellished profession at Actual Madrid.


The Brazil worldwide received 5 Champions League trophies throughout his time on the other aspect of the El Clásico divide, earlier than departing for Manchester United looking for a brand new problem final summer time. He has made a surprising impression in English soccer and has stamped his mark on Premier League midfields, combining combative defensive work with drive and magnificence in possession.




He has been the midfield normal that has lengthy been required to resolve United’s mushy centre.


Midfield: Frenkie de Jong – Barcelona


If Manchester United had bought their want, Frenkie de Jong would have lined up of their colors for this week’s assembly.


Erik ten Hag chased a deal for De Jong final summer time as he sought to reunite with a midfielder who had impressed underneath his administration at Ajax. The Dutchman has since produced a number of the greatest soccer of his profession at Barcelona, with Xavi hailing De Jong as ‘among the best gamers on this planet’ earlier this month.


Embed from Getty Photos


Press-resistant with an immaculate first contact and a capability to manage video games from the bottom of the midfield, it’s simple to see why Ten Hag was so eager to reunite along with his compatriot final summer time.


Midfield: Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United


Regardless of offering huge work-rate the Portuguese schemer struggled to essentially impression video games as a lot as he usually does in the course of the early a part of the season.


Nevertheless, after a robust private displaying on the World Cup Fernandes has been in very good type since membership soccer returned and Ten Hag described his two help displaying towards Leicester on the weekend as magnificent.


Whether or not enjoying off the appropriate or centrally the proficient playmaker stays the person who makes United tick.




Proper-wing: Raphina – Barcelona


After impressing within the Premier League throughout two seasons at Leeds, Barcelona received a switch tussle with Arsenal and Leeds to safe the companies of the Brazilian attacker final summer time.


Having initially struggled to win over some components of the Barca fanbase Raphina is now beginning to present why many price him as among the best right-wingers in European soccer.


The 26-year-old scored and was usually Barca’s most harmful attacking risk in the course of the opening leg and he'll as soon as once more be aiming to be a thorn in United’s aspect on Thursday.


Left-wing: Marcus Rashford – Manchester United


Marcus Rashford is on hearth proper now, a run of type that has made the Manchester United ahead one among Europe’s most enjoyable abilities.


Rashford has scored ten targets in ten Premier League appearances for United for the reason that season’s restart, along with his targets having propelled Erik ten Hag’s aspect into third spot within the Premier League desk. The England worldwide has damaged via the 20-goal barrier for a 3rd time and appears to have advanced his recreation right into a extra full skillset.




He’s scoring headers and bullying defenders with a mixture of power and velocity, with the attributes Rashford has lengthy had starting to be put collectively persistently. After his star displaying in Catalonia final week Xavi could have no doubts about who precisely Man United’s primary hazard man is.


Ahead: Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona


Robert Lewandowski signed for Barcelona final summer time looking for a brand new problem, having spent greater than a decade terrorising Bundesliga defences.


He scored 447 targets and received ten league titles throughout spells at Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, earlier than taking his goalscoring items to Spanish soccer. It’s been up to now, so good for Lewandowski in La Liga, with the Poland worldwide the division’s high scorer and averaging a objective each 102 minutes.




Even at 34, he stays a centre-forward able to profitable video games singlehandedly and stopping Lewadowski can be paramount to United’s possibilities of development.


Learn – Iconic Duos: Putting synergy perfected, Cole and Yorke


Learn Additionally – Iconic Performances: The evening Ronaldinho obtained a standing ovation on the Bernabeu


Subscribe to our social channels:


Fb | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube


The publish Manchester United v Barcelona – Combined XI first appeared on The Soccer Trustworthy. Supply - thefootballfaithful.com