Preview: Barcelona vs. Manchester United -
prediction, team news, lineups
A blockbuster encounter between two European juggernauts
takes place at Camp Nou on Thursday night as Barcelona
play host to Manchester United in the first leg of their
Europa League playoff.
The two teams have previously etched their names into
Champions League folklore, but their latest meeting over
two legs will be their first in Europe's secondary club
competition.
Match preview
Barcelona enter the Europa League knockout rounds for the
second successive season after they could only finish third
in their Champions League group earlier this season behind
Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
Despite thrashing Viktoria Plzen both home and away,
claiming just one point across four encounters against
Bayern and Inter prevented the Catalan giants from securing
a top-two spot.
Since losing 3-0 at home to Bayern in their penultimate
group match on October 26 – their only defeat at Camp Nou
in 14 games so far this season – Xavi's side have excelled
on the domestic front, putting together a 16-game unbeaten
run across all competitions, including nine wins in their last
10 La Liga matches – the Catalan club's latest success
being a slender 1-0 win away at Villarreal last weekend.
Barca's near-immaculate top-flight run has coincided with a
blip in form from rivals and reigning champions Real
Madrid, and Xavi's side are now on course to lift their first
La Liga title in four years as they boast a 11-point lead at
the summit , albeit having played a game more.
While five-time Champions League winners Barcelona
would prefer to be competing in Europe's premier club
competition, the prospect of becoming Europa League
champions for the first time is sure to motivate Xavi and co
– who have already won the Spanish Super Cup this year –
as they attempt to balance their domestic duties with a
two-legged clash against Man United.
Barca have lost five of their last 11 European games at
Camp Nou, but they head into Thursday's contest having
won each of the last four meetings with Man United.
Indeed, Champions League final triumphs in 2009 and 2011
against the Red Devils were followed by a 4-0 aggregate
win in the quarter-finals of the same competition in 2019.
Almost 15 years on from their last Champions League
triumph in 2007-08, Man United have had to get used to the
rigours of Europa League football, competing in the
competition on six occasions in the last 12 seasons.
The Red Devils started this year's group stage on the wrong
foot with a narrow 1-0 home defeat against Real Sociedad,
but Erik ten Hag's men responded well with five successive
victories, although they ultimately had to settle for a
second-placed finish behind Group E winners Sociedad on
goal difference, forcing them to enter the playoff round as
opposed to booking an immediate qualification spot in the
last 16.
Man United are still competing on all fronts this season,
with a EFL Cup final clash against Newcastle United to
come later this month and a FA Cup fifth-round tie with
West Ham United in March, while they are only five points
off the Premier League summit, although current leaders
Arsenal have two games in hand at the time of writing.
That gap to the top of the table could have been shortened
had United not dropped points in three of their last five
league fixtures. Indeed, after failing to beat Crystal Palace
and Arsenal on the road last month, the Red Devils
managed to rescue a point in a 2-2 home draw with Leeds
United last Wednesday, before returning to winning ways
with a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Elland Road on Sunday
courtesy of late goals from Marcus Rashford and Alejandro
Garnacho.
United's focus now shifts to Thursday's trip to Catalonia as
they endeavour to win their first-ever game against
Barcelona at Camp Nou at the fifth time of asking and take
an advantage into the second leg at Old Trafford in a
weeks' time.
The Red Devils, who have lost just four of their 16 away
matches in all tournaments this season, will be keen to
improve their record against Spanish opposition as they
have won only three of their last 14 such knockout fixtures
in European competition. United came up short against
Atletico Madrid in the Champions League second round last
season, with a 1-0 first-leg home defeat followed by a 1-1
away draw in the reverse fixture.

Team News
Barcelona will be without key duo Ousmane Dembele and
Sergio Busquets, who are set to miss both legs of their
Europa League playoff tie with respective hamstring and
ankle injuries.
In the absence of Dembele, one of Gavi, Ferran Torres or
Ansu Fati could operate on the left flank, joining top scorer
Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha in the front three.
Gavi is also an option to fill in for the injured Busquets in
midfield, but Franck Kessie was given the nod to start
alongside Frenkie de Jong and Pedri last time out, and the
Ivorian may retain his starting role on Thursday.
Xavi is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his
defence – which has kept more clean sheets (16) than any
other team across Europe's top-five leagues so far this term
– but he may consider replacing Alejandro Balde with
experienced left-back Jordi Alba.
As for Man United, Donny van de Beek (knee), Christian
Eriksen (ankle), Anthony Martial (hip), Scott McTominay
(muscle) and Antony (leg) will all miss out through injury,
while Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer are both
suspended.
However, Casemiro is available for selection after missing
the last two Premier League games due to suspension, and
the Brazilian is set to partner compatriot Fred in centre-
midfield.
Ten Hag may consider recalling centre-back Raphael
Varane at the expense of Harry Maguire, while Jadon
Sancho could continue on the right flank, joining Bruno
Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Wout Weghorst in attack.
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Alba; Pedri, De
Jong, Kessie; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Gavi
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Shaw, Malacia; Casemiro, Fred;
Sancho, Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst
We say: Barcelona 2-2 Manchester United
Barcelona are right to feel optimistic heading into
Thursday's battle, but their impressive unbeaten run and
defensive exploits are set to be put to the test by a Man
United outfit who continue to go from strength to strength
under Ten Hag.
Whether a tight affair or free-flowing contest will be on
show at Camp Nou remains to be seen, but we are
predicting the game to gradually morph into the latter, with
the spoils shared in a closely-fought yet entertaining first-
leg tie.