FC Barcelona Choice Of Kit May Be Key To Correcting Poor Old Trafford Form Against Manchester United

FC Barcelona will hope that their choice of kit for tomorrow’s Europa League playoff second tie against Manchester United holds the key to correcting poor form against the PremierPINC
League giants at their Old Trafford stadium.

Barca and the Red Devils go into the decisive all square following a thrilling 2-2 draw in the first leg at Camp Nou last week.

Either side could have gone away with an advantage, but a 76th minute equalizer from Raphinha set up what could be another mouthwatering tie in northwestern England.

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The Catalans hardly have the best record at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, however, and boast just one win there in European competitions.

This came in 2018/2019 in the first leg of a Champions League quarterfinal where Luke Shaw was credited with an own goal for deflecting legendary striker Luis Suarez’s shot.

Barca went to Catalonia with a 1-0 lead, and then thrashed the Mancunians 3-0 at home with a Lionel Messi brace and rare strike from then-recent record signing Philippe Coutinho.

Heartbreak was set to follow at the home of United’s bitter rivals Liverpool in the semi-finals, however. After Barca won 3-0 at Camp Nou, they then famously buckled 4-0 at Anfield as the Scousers went on to win in the tournament.

United did this after their last Old Trafford meeting with Barca before 2019, winning 1-0 thanks to a Paul Scholes effort in a semi-final second leg 2007/2008, following a 0-0 draw in Catalonia, then beating Chelsea in the final on penalties.

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Two thrilling draws played out in the Champions League in 1994-1995 (2-2) and 1998-1999 (3-3) at the iconic ground, but United beat the Blaugrana 3-0 in 1983-1984 in the second leg of a Cup Winners Cup tie.

Barca’s record at Old Trafford is there therefore 1-2-2 if written like a boxer’s. But as Mundo Deportivo points out, their choice of kit for tomorrow’s clash of the titans may bode well.

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Thus far in 2022/2023, they are unbeaten in their gold third choice away jersey and boast have won every one of the seven outings it has been aired. Six of these came in La Liga and were essential to an eight point lead at the top of the table. The other came against Cueta in the Copa del Rey, where Barca are through to the semi-finals against Real Madrid next month.

If Xavi’s men want to keep hopes of a quadruple alive, the shirt that has a map of Barcelona city center embedded into its background has to prove a good omen.

Even if they draw, Barca could still force penalties due to the away goals rule being scrapped.