Scratchy, ill disciplined and careless throughout, one thing is certain - Barcelona will not be this poor again in the return fixture at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.

As United return to a ground forever synonymous with our greatest miracle of all 20 years on, we will need an arguably even bigger one here. It is a romantic narrative but Barcelona deal in reality. With United 1-0 down, it would be truly astonishing if our team came through next Tuesday's quarter-final second leg to reach the last four where, in all likelihood, Liverpool would await. But, simply by getting this far, we've confounded all expectations and I was immensely proud of United's courage, spirit and sheer willpower against a Barcelona side that, on paper and in reality, are streets ahead. It says it all when the over-riding feeling is one of an opportunity missed rather than any tangible angst or fear. You're never going to get a bucketload of chances against opposition of this calibre, but you have to make the most of what you can get and that's what cost us.
Lionel Messi was relatively quiet, some of Barca's passing was strangely lacklustre and yet the suspicion remains that this was Barcelona playing within themselves, while United mustered the best we could.
Several of our players played above their ability and, on a night when a cool head was needed, Sir Scott of McSauce was top class as he eclipsed his £89m team mate Paul Pogba, dominated his illustrious opposite numbers and never looked out of place. So much so that along with Barcelona's Gerard Pique, he was the best player on the pitch. The fact that centre-back Pique was the visitors standout star tells you everything you need to know.
£52m man Fred finally came to the party with his best game by far in a United shirt, and caught the eye with his passing range, work rate, industry and an excellent all round showing both defensively and in attack. Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling impressed and Mr Consistent Luke Shaw did well again.
The players must overturn form, logic and the history books in the Nou Camp. United may have done it once - it is very hard but certainly not impossible to see them doing it again.
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