Manchester United vs Barcelona: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will not draw on 1999 Nou Camp final
United trail 1-0 going into Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Nou Camp
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Your support makes all the difference.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will not draw on his experience of the Nou Camp in 1999 when Manchester United travel to Barcelona this week.
United trail 1-0 going into Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg but are no strangers to remarkable comebacks in this competition.
Solskjaer was the match-winner in the most famous - the 1999 Champions League final, won at the Nou Camp by two late goals after going behind to Bayern Munich.
And this year, against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, United became the first in European Cup history to overcome a two-goal home defeat and progress.
It is that victory which Solskjaer will look to draw on going into Tuesday, despite returning to the site of United’s greatest triumph 30 years on.
Asked if he will talk to his players about the ‘99 final, Solskjaer said: “No, I won’t because it was against Bayern Munich, it was a final, it was different.
“We will use the PSG [match], we will use the Juventus away. We have beaten some good teams away from home this year, and played against some great players.”
United did not register a single shot on target against Barcelona at Old Trafford, with Luke Shaw’s 12th-minute own goal ultimately consigning them to defeat.
Yet Solskjaer claimed that his side had flustered the Catalans and he believes they possess the counter-attacking threat to trouble them at the Nou Camp.
“We know that if we are at our best and if we make Barcelona… because we had them flustered at times here as well,” he claimed.
“Yes, they controlled the game towards the end, they had the possession but they never really bothered us in our own half.”
Solskjaer added: “You look at the quality of those players and that gives us a threat, we carry a goal threat.
“Of course what we did against PSG as a team must give everyone a huge confidence boost because that experience was probably the best they have had for many years, those players.
“They are probably dreaming about another one of them again at the Camp Nou.”
United were unconvincing in victory over West Ham on Saturday, requiring two Paul Pogba penalties to secure a narrow 2-1 win.
Solskjaer admitted that much improvement would be needed if to take a result at the Nou Camp, and hopes he has devised the tactical strategy that will see United through.
“No, it doesn’t really give me too many headaches. I rested a few here to be ready for Tuesday, but we have a decent plan, I hope. I hope it’s decent. It’s a plan anyway.”
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