Valverde Warns Barcelona About Man United
By Max Wise
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has cautioned his side to be wary of Manchester United’s ‘last-minute spirit’ when the two sides meet in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg at Camp Nou on Tuesday.
Barcelona won the first leg 1-0 at Old Trafford last week and will advance to the semi-finals of the competition to face either Liverpool or FC Porto should they get the better of the Red Devils.
Manchester United have however, produced some devastating last-minute comebacks in the Champions League this season, notably in away games at Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side came from a goal down to win 2-1 against Juventus in Turin and overturned a 2-0 home loss to PSG to win 3-1, courtesy Marcus Rashford's late penalty at Pac des Princes, a win that saw them progress on the away goals.
Solskjaer will be making a return to Camp Nou for the first time since scoring a late winner himself for the Red Devils against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.
Ahead of Tuesday’s game, Valverde, who oversaw Barcelona’s elimination at this same stage last season to AS Roma, where they lost 3-0 to the Italians, having won the first leg 4-1, has warned his players to be wary of the visitors’ late fighting spirit.
'Manchester United have something special in the last minutes of games. They have shown it this season and they won a European Cup here showing it, Valverde told a news conference.
'We are very wary of the spirit that they have. In this Champions League, they have done well away from home winning three out of four games. They have beaten Juventus and Paris Saint Germain in the last minutes so we will have to be at our best.
'I think the only away game they have not won so far was away to Valencia so the tie is still open.'
“Their spirit – also the power and pace they have in their side. If you give them space, they’re quick and efficient.
“We respect what they have done, what they are and the history they have behind them.”
