Manchester United vs Barcelona: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits Nou Camp turnaround tougher than PSG
Barcelona will take a 1-0 advantage into next Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final return leg
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Your support makes all the difference.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted on Wednesday night that a Nou Camp turnaround will be even more difficult for his Manchester United side to pull off than their last-16 comeback against Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcelona will take a 1-0 advantage into next Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final return leg after Luke Shaw’s 12th-minute own goal at Old Trafford.
Ernesto Valverde’s side could not extend their lead, however, and United will travel to Catalonia with hope of yet another miracle.
Solskjaer’s side reached the quarter-finals by producing a remarkable 3-1 win in Paris last month to progress past PSG on away goals.
And despite United suffering a third home Champions League defeat of the season, the Norwegian talked up the possibility of a famous turnaround.
“Of course the PSG performance away gives us hope and belief we can do it,” Solskjaer said, before admitting that Barcelona will be stiffer opposition than the Parisians.
“We are playing against probably the favourites in the tournament. Going to the Nou Camp will be a challenge.
“It will be a greater achievement, winning that one, because of the history of Barcelona. They’re not used to losing at home. We can do it, no doubt.”
Solskjaer believes Barcelona will be wary of United’s propensity to pick up results against the odds and harked back the club’s most famous night in the Nou Camp – the 1999 Champions League final, when Solskjaer himself scored the winning goal.
“Today, we put some pressure on them at times. We got wide, loads of crosses in the box, but we did not fill that box enough,” he said.
“Of course we’ll have to take more chances, release Paul [Pogba] or Scott [McTominay] from midfield. Help the strikers.
“We’ve scored goals at the Nou Camp before from corners and crosses,” Solskjaer added.
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