‘It’s a tough one, but we’ve done that before’: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer eyes another escape act in Barcelona as he insists Manchester United have ability to score at Nou Camp
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must produce another famous comeback in the Nou Camp after Manchester United were beaten by Barcelona on Wednesday night.
United head to Spain for next week’s second leg needing to overturn a 1-0 defeat to rescue their hopes of reaching the Champions League semi-finals.
Almost exactly 20 years on from his famous winner in the final against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp, Solskjaer believes he can pull off another escape act – one that would surpass United’s win away to Paris Saint Germain in the last 16.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will need a heroic display from his Manchester United squad next week
‘It would be a greater achievement because of the history of Barcelona but we can do it – we’re still in this tie,’ he said.
‘We’ll go there with work to be done but chances. It’s a tough one but we’ve done that before. We’ll go there with the knowledge that we can score.’
The only goal of the game came in the 12th minute when Luis Suarez’s header from a Lionel Messi cross was turned into his own net by Luke Shaw.
A fourth defeat in five games means United will have to confound the odds once again against a Barcelona side who have not lost at home in Europe for six years.
Solskjaer will also be concerned that his team failed to muster a single shot on target in the Champions League for the first time since Opta stats began in 2005.
Luis Suarez came back to haunt his old rivals at Old Trafford on Wednesday night
‘That little quality towards the end (was missing),’ he added. ‘But, you know, when you play against Barcelona you have to play a lot without the ball and you might be a bit tired when you get the chances.
‘There were plusses and negatives. We started sloppy and a bit nervous. After their goal we settled a bit. We played well and we had some very good performances from individuals in midfield.
‘It was a great goal and great movement from Messi and Suarez. They’re a little bit fortunate it comes off Luke and changed direction.
‘Messi is a fantastic player. You see the cross for the goal, his awareness and technique. We did as well as we could against him and kept our shape.
‘At times it felt like a proper Man United team – the crowd were behind us, we got wide, we got crosses in the box.’
Solskjaer again reiterated just how important the display against PSG is for their confidence when they head to Spain.
He said: ‘To do it would be an even greater achievement than that.
‘But the PSG performance gives us the hope and belief that we can do it.
Luke Shaw turned into his own net early on following Suarez’s header at the back post
‘We are playing against probably the favourites in this tournament and going to the Nou Camp is going to a challenge.
‘With the history Barca have, and they are not used to losing at home but we can do it.
‘We can carry a goal threat but we have to provide more ammunition and chances.’
Scott McTominay was the pick of the United players on a night when Paul Pogba once again missed an opportunity to dominate on the big stage.
The young Scotland international insisted the tie isn’t over yet, saying: ‘We’re Manchester United, you can never write us off. They’ve got top class players but so have we.
‘They’re a top team and it’s not easy to press like mayhem but afterwards we did so, so well and credit to the boys for that.’
Apart from his contribution to the goal, United succeeded in keeping Messi relatively quiet and Chris Smalling left the Argentine star with a bloodied nose with a robust challenge in the first half.
Scott McTominay starred in midfield for the Red Devils against such revered opponents
‘We were right on the front foot,’ said Smalling. ‘We knew we had to bring that intensity to the game that they’re not used to every week.
‘The whole team, we nullified them even though they scored. We stuck to our game plan.
‘We showed them far too much respect in the first 10-15 minutes but after that we adapted.
‘For long spells we pressed them quite high and made it difficult. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get that goal because we created chances.’
Barca coach Ernesto Valverde warned that United’s stunning comeback from a 2-0 first-leg defeat against PSG means the tie is far from over.
‘You only need to look how United did in Paris – 1-0 is not going to change anything,’ said Valverde. ‘The result has yet to be decided.
‘But it’s a hard place to win. Maybe tomorrow we will realise just how important this has been.’
