Champions League QF: Manchester United v Barcelona - Build Up Thread

tieunhilang

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Well, if this doesn't get you excited...
"Some people move on. But NOT US!" :keano:
I can already see the parrel:

Messi = Thanos (The one responsible for our Champions League heartbreak)
Ed Woodward = Nick Fury (I'm here to talk to you about the Manchester United Galacticos project)
Pogba = Iron Man
De Gea = Captain America
Sanchez = Starlord
Lukaku = Thor
Lingard = Spiderman (For obvious reasons)
 

predator

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If we both charge eachothers away fans £102 for a ticket and both subsidize the travelling lot so they only pay £75 where does the extra money go? :lol: my head is fecked this morning.

However barca haven't said they are subsidizing their own fans in light of us charging more, yet. Barca are cnutish as a club. Its shame because their fans are losing out and they don't deserve to be fleeced either.

It seems all a bit tit for tat for me. Its a good move from United but I think it would be much greater of us to just charge Barca fans normal prices and subsidize our own away fans anyway in this game. What's the costing of such a proposition - £100k? (peanuts for a club our size). Having said all that it may set a precedent.
 

GBBQ

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If we both charge eachothers away fans £102 for a ticket and both subsidize the travelling lot so they only pay £75 where does the extra money go? :lol: my head is fecked this morning.

However barca haven't said they are subsidizing their own fans in light of us charging more, yet. Barca are cnutish as a club. Its shame because their fans are losing out and they don't deserve to be fleeced either.

It seems all a bit tit for tat for me. Its a good move from United but I think it would be much greater of us to just charge Barca fans normal prices and subsidize our own away fans anyway in this game. What's the costing of such a proposition - £100k? (peanuts for a club our size). Having said all that it may set a precedent.
United are absolutely doing the right thing here. If United cover it out of their own pocket Barcelona will charge €130 next time. United responding in kind is going to hit the most loyal Barcelona supporters hardest who will presumably create the most noise about how unfair it is. Its a PR masterclass, Barcelona come out looking like touts while United are seen as the good guys looking after the needs of their fans.
 

Siorac

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Cant wait till messi retires :mad:
I'll kinda miss both of them, Messi and Ronaldo. It's unlikely that we'll see anything like those two any time soon. I only ever got to see Ronaldo live out of the two but it's something I'll tell my grandchildren about - if I'll ever have any, of course.
 

clarkydaz

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I'll kinda miss both of them, Messi and Ronaldo. It's unlikely that we'll see anything like those two any time soon. I only ever got to see Ronaldo live out of the two but it's something I'll tell my grandchildren about - if I'll ever have any, of course.
Its more so barca can get back in the real world again, like ronaldo leaving madrid
 

Siorac

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Its more so barca can get back in the real world again, like ronaldo leaving madrid
They won the Champions League once in the last seven seasons so it's not like they're dominating Europe.
 

TMDaines

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The Spanish clubs don't even hide it. They are brutal with any opportunity they have to milk us.
Can't get too excited to be honest. They could sell the tickets for 10x that at least.
 

croadyman

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I'll kinda miss both of them, Messi and Ronaldo. It's unlikely that we'll see anything like those two any time soon. I only ever got to see Ronaldo live out of the two but it's something I'll tell my grandchildren about - if I'll ever have any, of course.
Was fortunate enough to see Messi in the 2011 Champions League Final
 
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I feel like this club cant do anything right at the moment. Hope he gets to go, he's so adorable.
 

Canagel

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I'm so pumped for this game already and there's still 2 weeks left. bring it on. this will be the one of the most satisfying victories ever if we can pull it off. I just saw some comments of people like mourinho already predicting Juventus-Barcelona final and others that have written us off and dont give us a prayer- let's shock the world again.
 
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KingMinger22

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I just hope we out in a good performance at home.

The quality of our players v theres... Doesn't look good.

However, it's football.
 

Billy Blaggs

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I'm so pumped for this game already and there's still 2 weeks left. bring it on. this will be the one of the most satisfying victories ever if we can pull it off. I just saw some comments of people like mourinho already predicting Juventus-Barcelona final and others that have written us off and dont give us a prayer- let's shock the world again.
I'm with you there mate. Planning on a Dr's appointment or something so I can work from home:lol:
 

dmode

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Our form and play will surprise a lot of people including Barça... we will boss the game and get good win. We will build on that for the return match... then we will all hail Ole as a messiah, no joke!
 

TRUERED89

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Our form and play will surprise a lot of people including Barça... we will boss the game and get good win. We will build on that for the return match... then we will all hail Ole as a messiah, no joke!
I'll be amazed if we boss possession, we couldn't against PSG, and Barca are the best when it comes to possession. They are the inventors of the style. But we can press collectively with aggression and speed and hit on the counter if we can knick the ball in dangerous areas or catch Barca out of shape. Playing on the counter will likely be the pattern this game falls into, atOT & Nou Camp, I just don't see us dominating the ball imo.
 

tomaldinho1

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I'll be amazed if we boss possession, we couldn't against PSG, and Barca are the best when it comes to possession. They are the inventors of the style. But we can press collectively with aggression and speed and hit on the counter if we can knick the ball in dangerous areas or catch Barca out of shape. Playing on the counter will likely be the pattern this game falls into, atOT & Nou Camp, I just don't see us dominating the ball imo.
No way we will dominate possession but we should try to play further up the pitch than I fear we will. Sitting deep against them is just a slow death and you're playing to their strengths if you let them control the ball as they'll just keep probing for an opening. I think we should press really high - risk DDG playing as a sweeper keeper and try to condense the play around the middle. Basically if we can keep them relying on long balls through to Dembele or on the flanks, I think we have a slight chance.

FYI Barca didn't invent possession football
 

TRUERED89

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No way we will dominate possession but we should try to play further up the pitch than I fear we will. Sitting deep against them is just a slow death and you're playing to their strengths if you let them control the ball as they'll just keep probing for an opening. I think we should press really high - risk DDG playing as a sweeper keeper and try to condense the play around the middle. Basically if we can keep them relying on long balls through to Dembele or on the flanks, I think we have a slight chance.

FYI Barca didn't invent possession football
You're right, Ajax did. But Cruyff brought it to Barca and took it to the next level!
 

DSG

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I’m really tired of all of these Barca fans in the States. The vast, vast majority have been fans only since Messi, and even then only when he really blew up. They are smug, idealistic muppets who have no idea what it is like to support a club through the lean times. Cannot wait until Barca is sans Messi.... we’ll see who the real fans are.

I love to watch Barca lose. They become a dirty team very quickly. Especially Messi seems to become even smaller on the pitch, the realization of defeat in his face. The moaning and crying they did when Neymar left was hilarious. They were going to sue La Liga, UEFA, FIFA, PSG... high comedy.

Messi is a genius, but for me, he’s not the GOAT. Need to win a World Cup to be considered the greatest ever. The fact he has never won a major international trophy is damning considering the embarrassing amount of talent on that Argentina team. Just ask an Argentinian. He’s not even considered the best player their country has produced, much less the GOAT.

We have a chance vs this Barca side. I believe that Pogba has to have the greatest games of his life, both offensively and defensively. Lukaku cannot miss these easy chances. And, of course, the defence needs to have a great two matches. I like Rashford running into the space behind Jodi Alba.

BTW, how much of a low-class, dirty, and unsportsmanlike move is it to profess interest in Rashford 10 days before the first leg? Clearly, no dirty trick is low enough for those bastards. They have to try to get any edge, no matter how dishonest it is.
 

TRUERED89

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I’m really tired of all of these Barca fans in the States. The vast, vast majority have been fans only since Messi, and even then only when he really blew up. They are smug, idealistic muppets who have no idea what it is like to support a club through the lean times. Cannot wait until Barca is sans Messi.... we’ll see who the real fans are.

I love to watch Barca lose. They become a dirty team very quickly. Especially Messi seems to become even smaller on the pitch, the realization of defeat in his face. The moaning and crying they did when Neymar left was hilarious. They were going to sue La Liga, UEFA, FIFA, PSG... high comedy.

Messi is a genius, but for me, he’s not the GOAT. Need to win a World Cup to be considered the greatest ever. The fact he has never won a major international trophy is damning considering the embarrassing amount of talent on that Argentina team. Just ask an Argentinian. He’s not even considered the best player their country has produced, much less the GOAT.

We have a chance vs this Barca side. I believe that Pogba has to have the greatest games of his life, both offensively and defensively. Lukaku cannot miss these easy chances. And, of course, the defence needs to have a great two matches. I like Rashford running into the space behind Jodi Alba.

BTW, how much of a low-class, dirty, and unsportsmanlike move is it to profess interest in Rashford 10 days before the first leg? Clearly, no dirty trick is low enough for those bastards. They have to try to get any edge, no matter how dishonest it is.
Great post, totally echo everything you've mentioned.
 

Ecstatic

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I’m really tired of all of these Barca fans in the States. The vast, vast majority have been fans only since Messi, and even then only when he really blew up. They are smug, idealistic muppets who have no idea what it is like to support a club through the lean times. Cannot wait until Barca is sans Messi.... we’ll see who the real fans are.

I love to watch Barca lose. They become a dirty team very quickly. Especially Messi seems to become even smaller on the pitch, the realization of defeat in his face. The moaning and crying they did when Neymar left was hilarious. They were going to sue La Liga, UEFA, FIFA, PSG... high comedy.

Messi is a genius, but for me, he’s not the GOAT. Need to win a World Cup to be considered the greatest ever. The fact he has never won a major international trophy is damning considering the embarrassing amount of talent on that Argentina team. Just ask an Argentinian. He’s not even considered the best player their country has produced, much less the GOAT.

We have a chance vs this Barca side. I believe that Pogba has to have the greatest games of his life, both offensively and defensively. Lukaku cannot miss these easy chances. And, of course, the defence needs to have a great two matches. I like Rashford running into the space behind Jodi Alba.

BTW, how much of a low-class, dirty, and unsportsmanlike move is it to profess interest in Rashford 10 days before the first leg? Clearly, no dirty trick is low enough for those bastards. They have to try to get any edge, no matter how dishonest it is.
Idem. I would add some of their fans have chosen to support a foreign club which, by chance, always wins.

Then, they think they are superior fans supporting football club which would have invented true football and deserve to win ad infinitum.
 
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NoPace

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I don't think we'll have the ball even at home so Lingard as the 10 in a diamond makes sense, he's had some good games on the counter in that role.
 

DSG

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I don't think we'll have the ball even at home so Lingard as the 10 in a diamond makes sense, he's had some good games on the counter in that role.
I agree with this. I think that teams that have been successful against Barca have paid a lot of attention to Busquets, either marking him closely or crowding the midfield. Lingard dropping back to essentially man mark Busquets gives us our best chance.
 

Sandikan

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I don't think we'll have the ball even at home so Lingard as the 10 in a diamond makes sense, he's had some good games on the counter in that role.
Lingard is absolutely essential to any plan against a ball dominant big team.
What anyone thinks, we were dealing with PSG at home until him and Martial went off.
Their replacements, Mata and Sanchez didn't have anywhere near the same shut down capability and legs.
 

Ecstatic

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If you watch the 1st leg Lyon against Barcelona, you will get hope.

The 2nd leg is another story: lack of maturity from Lyon
 

Greck

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I'd consider Rashford left and Martial up top rather than Rom. Those goals against PSG were great but i still don't trust him with the limited opportunities we'll have in big games like this