Europa League: Xavi dreads Ronaldo, Manchester United
Barcelona, who spent heavily in the summer to progress in the Champions League, finished third in Group C,
The Barcelona head coach Xavi has described his side’s Europa League play-off clash with Manchester United as “the worst draw we could have got”.
Almost 12 years after the sides met in the final of the Champions League, the clubs will go head to head to remain in Europe’s second-tier tournament after they were pitted against each other in yesterday’s draw.
They will meet in a two-legged clash in February to qualify for the round of 16 of the competition, in which Barcelona find themselves after failing to progress out of their Champions League group.
“We will face the most difficult opponents that were in the draw,” Xavi said. “They are a historic side, they have grown a lot with the arrival of [Erik] ten Hag, they have great players.
It’s the worst draw we could have got. We don’t have good luck when it comes to these draws, but we will look forward to it. Barcelona have never won the Europa League. It’s a challenge, we are going to try and win it.
“[Cristiano] Ronaldo in decline? He seems to me to be a great player, who has marked an era in world football and can still make the difference.”
It is arguably the worst tie that United could have been handed. Their second-place finish in group E meant that they entered the draw for a play-off tie, rather than going straight through to the final 16 of the competition among the eight group winners, including Arsenal. Real Sociedad finished above Ten Hag’s side on goal difference.
United needed to win by a margin of two or more goals in Spain last week but could only manage a one-goal victory with a strike from Alejandro Garnacho.
Barcelona, who spent heavily in the summer to progress in the Champions League, finished third in Group C, behind Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. Unlike United, Barcelona’s league form has been excellent, and they lead La Liga after 13 games, having won 11 times and been beaten only once.
The first leg of the tie will be played at the Nou Camp on February 16, with the return leg at Old Trafford on February 23.
Sevilla, who have won the Europa League six times, have also dropped down into the competition from the Champions League and will take on the Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in the first knockout round.
Juventus, who like Barcelona remain supporters of the Super League concept yet find themselves in the continent’s second-tier competition, must overcome the French side Nantes.
José Mourinho’s Roma, who won last season’s inaugural Europa Conference League competition, face the Austrian league champions Red Bull Salzburg.
