Barcelona v Manchester United Live Commentary & Result, 2/16/23, UEFA Europa League

That's all from us, we hope you enjoyed the game! The second leg isn't far away, so we'll see you then!

A 2-2 draw tees us up for a mouth-watering second leg to this Europa League knockout tie in a week's time, with the winners of the match Old Trafford entering the last 16 of Europe's secondary club competition. The short turnaround should see the two sides set up similarly in attack, and with no away goals, it looks set to be another firecracker of a game that will hopefully see another feast of chances, saves and goals at both ends.

Raphinha was simply unplayable in that second half, delivering the corner for Alonso's opener before trying his luck from distance to nestle his side's second. The Brazilian had six shots in total, with his three on target amounting to 0.19 xG. He also completed 20 final third passes, including one key pass and five crosses. Winning half of his 16 duels, the former Leeds winger completed three successful dribbles, as well as winning possession five times including via four tackles, with two of these coming in United's defensive third. Force.

What a second 45 minutes! It ends 2-2 at the end of a second half that hardly allowed anyone, least of all the players, time to draw breath as the goalless game exploded into life at Camp Nou. Barca's early opener profited from poor United defending, but the visitors more than made up for it in the following 10 minutes. Rashford continued his superb run of form to slot in the equaliser almost straight away, before doing all the work that resulted in Kounde's own goal. United's rapid-fire lead didn't last though, as the impressive Raphinha's long-range effort squeezed in at the far post to level the scores, and despite a copious number of chances at both ends before full-time, it finished 2-2 with an eagerly-anticipated second leg on the horizon.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: BARCELONA 2-2 MANCHESTER UNITED.

90' + 4' BLOCKED!!! Torres' cross from the left swings towards the back post, where Araujo pops up late to head goalwards. Malacia is there though, and the ball bounces off his chest to go behind for yet another Barcelona corner!

90' + 3' BLOCKED!!! Good work again from Balde gives him space to find Fati inside, whose drilled effort from the edge of the area takes a nick off Casemiro and flies just inches wide!

90' + 1' OVER!!! Barca charge down the left and it breaks to Balde, who looks to float the ball into the far corner but can only send it over the bar!

90' + 1' We're into four minutes of added time to round off a second half which no-one inside this stadium wants to see brought to a close!

90' SAVED!!! Casemiro lays the ball off for Rashford to strike, but he can't get enough power on the shot to trouble Ter Stegen!

89' The two sides have had 32 shots between them in this game, showing just how open and dynamic it's been, particularly in this second half which has been played almost entirely on the front foot!

87' SAVED!!! Kounde's cross from the right is mis-hit by Lewandowski, but the ball drops to Fati who smashes a half-volley goalwards. De Gea somehow gets a hand to it and parries the ball out, before it's smashed clear by a frantic Malacia!

86' OFF THE POST!!! Torres' free-kick into the box leads to a scramble at the far post, and Christensen's header cracks against the post before being cleared by United!

84' A heavy Ter Stegen touch from Kounde's back-pass almost gives Weghorst an open net to aim at, but the Barca goalkeeper hacks it away and the ball is kept in by Balde!

Ferran Torres

Raphinha

83' Raphinha's number also comes up on the board, and he's far from happy as he's replaced by Ferran Torres. The United defenders certainly will be though, he's been running them ragged in this second half!

A. Garnacho

J. Sancho

81' Sancho is off in United's first change of the match, and Alejandro Garnacho replaces him out wide.

81' WIDE!!! Possession is lost high up the pitch yet again, this time by the visitors, and the ricocheted ball finds Fati. He steps inside to shoot from the edge of the box, sending a curling effort just around the outside of the post!

80' SAVED!!! A long ball forward is controlled skilfully in the air by Raphinha, who attempts to beat a stranded De Gea with a looping header, but it's clawed behind by the United goalkeeper for a Blaugrana corner!

79' WIDE!!! De Jong's stray pass is easily cut out by Sancho, who plays in Rashford. He shoots from roughly the same area his equaliser came from, but sends his effort veering wildly into the side netting!

78' Christensen fails to clear before passing across to Kounde, but his first touch is woeful and almost lets Sancho in to shoot at the back post!

J. Koundé

Assist

76' Barca's pressing of the United backline forced that rushed pass from Casemiro, and Kounde cutting out that ball played a crucial part in Raphinha's bizarre equaliser.

Raphinha

Goal

76' GOOOOAAAALLL!!! Barcelona equalise!!! Risky passing out the back from the Red Devils sees Casemiro's pass intercepted by Kounde. He finds Raphinha wide, whose cross into the six-yard box is missed by everyone and bounces into the bottom corner!!! Lewandowski's presence was enough to put the defenders off, but it's Raphinha's goal that locks this game up at 2-2!

75' Gavi dribbles into the box with options queuing up to his right, but Casemiro steps across and shows superb timing to take the ball away from his feet as casually as you like!

Gavi

Yellow Card

73' Fred darts forward on a counter-attack of his own but is hauled back by Gavi pulling his shirt, and the teenager's challenge, more akin to a last-ditch rugby tackle, results in a yellow card.

T. Malacia

Yellow Card

72' Ter Stegen catches Wan-Bissaka's cross and throws it wide to Raphinha, looking to spark a counter-attack. The Brazilian nut-megs Malacia and looks to skip past him, but he's held back by the defender, who goes into the book.

70' Rashford is the first Englishman to score against Barcelona at the Nou Camp for an English club, since Frank Lampard for Chelsea in October 2006.

69' WIDE!! Fred surges in-field from the right and bypasses several challenges on the way. He shoots on his left foot and beats Ter Stegen, but sends the effort wide of the near post!

Alejandro Balde

Jordi Alba

67' Alba also comes off, with the Barca captain replaced by young left-back Alejandro Balde.

Ansu Fati

F. Kessié

67' Kessie also comes off, with the introduction of Ansu Fati likely to push Gavi back into midfield.

A. Christensen

Marcos Alonso

67' Barca's first changes of the game sees them make three at once, as their goalscorer Alonso is replaced by Andreas Christensen.

Casemiro

Yellow Card

65' Gavi beats Fred in midfield but is chopped down right on the edge of the box, with the Brazilian midfielder lucky to avoid a yellow card. One does come out for his compatriot Casemiro for dissent though, and coach Erik ten Hag is also shown a yellow on the touchline!

64' Rashford races away on the break for the visitors, but goes down under pressure from Kounde just outside the box! Penalty appeals cry out from United's players and fans alike, but the referee isn't convinced and we'll play on!

63' Raphinha beats Malacia around the outside as he sprints into the area, but the United left-back stands tall to block his eventual cross to the six-yard box.

61' WIDE!!! The visitors are in some sort of mood at the moment!!! With Rashford to the fore again, United charge forward once more. The forward cuts inside and feigns shooting before teeing up Wan-Bissaka, whose first-time effort is deflected and flies into the side netting!

J. Koundé

Own Goal

59' GOOOOAAALLL!!! A Barcelona own goal completely turns things around. Rashford wins a corner and it's taken short, allowing the previous goalscorer to drive towards the box before crossing. His teasing ball leads to a scramble in the goalmouth, and the ball bounces off Kounde before hitting the net! Another goal of Rashford's making, and Barca's lead has been completely turned on its head!

57' Rashford's clearly enjoying himself, but so is Alonso, who has scored three times against Manchester United in his career, more than against any other side playing in Europe's top five leagues.

55' SAVED!!! Lewandowski heads a long ball down to Raphinha, who fires a fizzing effort from 25 yards. It's a powerful curling shot, but De Gea is somehow able to keep hold of it!

53' Rashford now has 22 goals in all competitions this season, his joint-best tally in a single campaign, and given it's only February, he'll beat that total from 2019-20 in no time!

Fred

Assist

52' Fred's ball was perfectly weighted, with Rashford sensing the opportunity to shoot, and certainly making the most of it!

M. Rashford

Goal

52' GOOOOAAALLL!!! An instant reply from the Red Devils!! Fred charges through the middle before playing Rashford in on the right, and the in-form England forward smashes a low shot on the angle which flies past Ter Stegen and nestles in the bottom corner!! He's playing some absolutely scintillating football at the moment, and what a way to make it 1-1!

Raphinha

Assist

50' Raphinha's corner looked to be heading over everyone's heads, but Alonso ran around the back of the defence to nod in the delivery!

Marcos Alonso

Goal

50' GOOOOOAAAALLLL!!!! A Blaugrana breakthrough!!! Raphinha wins a corner and fires the delivery curling towards the back post. Alonso evades his marker to meet the ball with a deft header, which beats De Gea at his near post and bounces into the net!! Poor defending from the visitors, but Barca won't care as they go 1-0 up from the corner!

49' WIDE!!! Wan-Bissaka is able to run into open space and plays a one-two with Fernandes before crossing. His ball across the face is dealt with very poorly by Araujo, allowing Sancho to steal in at the far post and fire into the side netting!

47' WIDE!!! Raphinha puts Araujo into space, but his cross is blocked away by Shaw. De Jong heads back to Raphinha on the edge of the box, who swivels and shoots first-time, hitting a firecracker which swirls wide of the far post with De Gea beaten all ends up!

46' Lewandowski kicks off for the Blaugrana, as he gets the second half up and running!

The two sides return to the Camp Nou pitch, and who, if any, will be the first to score in this second half?

Left-back Alba was charging up and down the left edge throughout that first half, and the Barcelona captain almost got on the scoresheet with a deflected effort that was parried wide by De Gea. He leads the way for touches so far, with 50, and has also completed a game-high 17 passes in the final third, as well as winning all three of his duels. He's been busy at the back too, winning possession eight times via a successful tackle and two interceptions and clearances apiece. Evergreen.

Goalless at the break, but we've seen some massive chances kept out at both ends! While Barca have had much more of the ball, their goalkeeper Ter Stegen has been called into action most often, making two fantastic saves to keep out Rashford and Weghorst. The Blaugrana have also created chances, with Lewandowski and Alba going close, and given the openness we've seen at the back from both teams so far, an opening goal looks set to come along sooner rather than later.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: BARCELONA 0-0 MANCHESTER UNITED.

45' We'll play two additional minutes to close out this frenetic first-half.

44' Barca sustain a wave of pressure and Kessie finds Lewandowski with a long pass to halfway. He flicks the ball on and attempts to beat Varane for pace, but doesn't quite have the legs of past seasons and is beaten to it.

R. Varane

Yellow Card

43' A very clever spin by Gavi takes him beyond two defenders, until he's scythed down by the second, Varane. The Manchester United centre-back goes into the book, as Barca win a free-kick on halfway.

Sergi Roberto

Pedri

41' Pedri goes down clutching his knee, which is not a good sign for Barcelona. He's forced off inside the first-half, and Sergi Roberto replaces him in a change which may see the Blaugrana slightly tweak their formation.

39' United have won each of their last five matches in Europe, and only once before have they won six games consecutively in European competition – in their first six games of the 1965-66 season in the European Cup.

37' SAVED!!! A cross-field ball is missed by Wan-Bissaka, allowing Alba to steal in behind him. He races forward into the box, but the United right-back recovers to get a deflection on the shot, which is then pushed wide by De Gea!

36' A ball over the top for Fernandes sends the captain sprinting down the right. He attempts to find Rashford with a cut-back into the box, but Araujo arrives from nowhere to hoof the ball away!

34' SAVED!!! Another world-class stop from Ter Stegen!! Sancho dispossesses Kounde and sends Rashford away, who steps beyond Alonso with ease before shooting. He aims for the far post, but Ter Stegen gets across acrobatically and palms the ball away with his right hand! Superb goalkeeping!

32' United win another free-kick and Shaw clips it to Rashford in space on the right. He's not far out from goal, but Alba hacks it away and behind to concede a corner!

30' SAVED!!! Fernandes whips the free-kick into the box and Casemiro's glancing header at the front post turns the ball goalwards, but Ter Stegen sees it all the way and holds the Brazilian's effort!

Jordi Alba

Yellow Card

30' Alba bundles Fernandes over down the left touchline, giving the visitors a crossing opportunity from this set-piece.

28' SAVED!!! What a stop to deny a certain opener!!! Malacia's challenge on Raphinha is not penalised and United play on, as Fernandes cuts the Blaugrana defence in two with a delightful throughball. Weghorst latches onto it and shoots from the centre of the box, but Ter Stegen races out to parry the effort with his body to deny the Dutchman!

27' WIDE!!! Wan-Bissaka surges down the right flank and glides past Gavi's poor challenge before cutting the ball back. Sancho arrives to strike the ball first-time, but his effort takes a slight deflection and rolls just wide of the far post!

25' Alba wins a corner via a deflection off Wan-Bissaka, but Pedri's delivery into the box is punched well clear by De Gea.

23' Barcelona have won each of the last four matches in this fixture – the last side that Manchester United lost five consecutive matches against was Liverpool between 2000 and 2002.

21' Kounde fires a back-pass under pressure which Ter Stegen can't quite reach, and the Barcelona goalkeeper concedes a corner trying to keep the ball in play!

19' OVER!!! Alba chips over the top to Pedri, who attempts to head a pass to Lewandowski. The ball comes back into his path, and he smashes a quick-fire volley inches over the bar!

17' Raphinha looks to flick Kessie's pass into Lewandowski's feet, but the pass is inaccurate and United recover possession.

15' Raphinha dances between two defenders before clipping a cross-field pass onto Alba's boot, but the left-back's square pass for Lewandowski in the box is cut out and cleared by Varane.

13' OVER!!! It's Alonso who strikes the free-kick, and beats the wall with his effort, but it flies over the crossbar and behind for a goal kick!

11' Barca have the visitors at sixes and sevens as Alba, Gavi and Raphinha all have passes in the box cut out. Gavi does well to win the ball on the edge of the box, and is fouled by Fred to win the hosts a free-kick well within shooting range for several Blaugrana players.

10' Barca work the ball into space again as Pedri cuts the ball back to Lewandowski, but it's blocked away. Araujo arrives to smash a rebound shot with the outside of his foot, but sends a wild effort well wide of the target!

9' SAVED!!!! Great play from Barca as Araujo's cross-field pass finds Alba on the fly. His ball to the edge of the box is dummied by Gavi, allowing Lewandowski to take a touch before firing a near-post shot that stings De Gea's fingertips as he parries it!

8' Sancho floats a cross towards Weghorst at the back post, but Alonso gets back to head the ball clear for Barca before the offside flag is raised.

7' BLOCKED!!! Malacia turns out of a challenge to find Rashford, who cuts a cross back into the box. Fernandes' first-time finish ricochets away, but Malacia follows in and his rebound is blocked wide by Alba!

5' Araujo gets forward to beat both Sancho and Casemiro before finding Raphinha. He skips past Weghorst with ease, but a heavy touch sees the ball roll over the byline before he can keep it in play.

3' These two have faced off 13 times in all competitions, with six wins for Barca and three for the visitors. The first three were in the old Cup Winners’ Cup, while each of the previous 10 were in the Champions League.

1' Wan-Bissaka finds Fernandes in space on the right. The captain whips in a threatening ball, as Fred makes a late run to the front post and almost gets a boot on it!

1' The stadium falls silent in memory of those affected by the recent tragedies in Turkey and Syria, and Weghorst gets the game underway for Manchester United.

The teams head out onto the pitch, and we're just moments away from kick-off at Camp Nou!

United are bolstered by the return of Casemiro to their midfield. The ex-Madrid lynchpin missed their two back-to-back league games with Leeds through suspension, but is straight back in the XI alongside Fred for this must-win match.

Pedri’s first-half strike sealed the points in Barca’s last league game against Villarreal, and the Blaugrana make two changes at the back for this match. Jordi Alba is in for Alejandro Balde at left-back and former Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen replaced by his ex-Blues teammate Marcos Alonso, most often used as a wing-back in west London, in the heart of the defence.

MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Tom Heaton, Jack Butland, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Facundo Pellistri, Anthony Elanga, Alejandro Garnacho, Zidane Iqbal, Kobbie Mainoo.

MANCHESER UNITED (4-2-3-1): David de Gea; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia; Casemiro, Fred; Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford; Wout Weghorst.

BARCELONA SUBS: Inaki Pena, Arnau Tenas, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Andreas Christensen, Sergi Roberto, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado, Pablo Torre, Angel Alarcon.

BARCELONA (4-3-3): Marc-Ander ter Stegen; Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Marcos Alonso, Jordi Alba; Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Franck Kessie; Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Gavi.

Manchester United were pipped to top spot of their Europa League group by Real Sociedad on goal difference, with a 1-0 home loss to the Spanish side in their opening game proving crucial. However, they’re currently on a six-game unbeaten run of their own, winning five of these games since a league loss to Arsenal in late January.

After finishing third in their Champions League group behind an unbeatable Bayern and resurgent Inter, Barcelona enter this match having not lost since October, and have won every game they’ve played since January 12th this year.

Hello, and welcome to live coverage of this fixture in the UEFA Europa League, as Barcelona face Manchester United in the first leg of their knockout play-off.

Barcelona v Manchester United Live Commentary, 2/16/23

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