Barcelona welcome Manchester United to the Spotify Camp Nou in the Europa league playoffs first leg on Thursday looking to continue with their blistering form..
Having endured a disappointing run of results in the Champions league group stages earlier in the season, the Catalans were demoted to this stage of the Europa league and the draw saw them pitted against Group E runners up Manchester United.
The Red devils also kicked off their Europa league campaign with a frustrating 1-0 home defeat to Real Sociedad but recovered to qualify as joint top of their group only finishing as runners up due to an inferior goal difference.
Since their Champions League exit, Barcelona have turned their fortunes round enjoying blistering form of 11 straight victories across all competitions which form has seen them top the La liga table by 56 points, 11 clear of second placed Real Madrid.
They will look up to this form to get the first leg advantage. Xavi Hernandez’s men who have won nine of their last 10 Laliga games are already Spanish Super Cup champions having beaten Madrid 3-1 in the final.
The Catalans will bank on forward Robert Lewandowski who has so far scored 27 goals in all competitions, youngsters Gavi and Pedri, Raphinha and Frankie De jong for a positive result.
Manchester United go into this game having lost only 4 of their 16 away games in all competitions. They registered a 2-0 away victory over Leeds at the weekend to consolidate their third position with oy five points behind Arsenal at the top.
Erik Ten Hag’s men are the only side in the Premier League still competing on all the four fronts ie in the FA Cup, Premier League, Europa League and the Carabao Cup where they are in the final.
A very good form they have, but they go into this game bearing in mind that they have lost all their last four competitive games against Barcelona.
They will rely on the brilliant from of Marcus Rashford who has scored 21 goals this campaign to try and curb that unwanted run.
Even Xavi knows what the English man is capable of doing. In a pre-match press conference, Xavi stressed the need to be wary of their opponents, but specifically mentioned Rashford as the deadly weapon at United.
“Yes we need to take care of all them, but especially Rashford. He’s one of the most dangerous players in Europe.” Xavi said
Team News
Barcelona will be without Ousmane Dembele and captain Sergio Busquets who are both injured.
Manchester will miss Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer suspended while Donny Van debeek, Eriksen, Antony Marshall, are injured, but Casemiro is back in the team.
