Barcelona boss Xavi insists he has ‘no fear’ of Old Trafford ahead of Manchester United rematch
- Planet Sport writer
- 22 February 2023
Barcelona will travel to Old Trafford for the first time since 2019 ahead of a much anticipated second-leg clash with Manchester United in their Europa League play-off.
Marcus Alonso and Raphinha both got on the scoresheet as the Spanish giants earned a 2-2 draw against the Premier League side in the first leg last Thursday.
A spot in the last-16 stage of the competition will be at stake when the two teams conclude their tie at Old Trafford.
Barcelona's last visit to the red half of Manchester came in a Champions League meeting back in April 2019. On that occasion, Luke Shaw's own goal helped the Catalan side to a 1-0 victory.
"I have very good memories of the games I played in England, simply because it is so special to play there," Barca manager Xavi told The Times. "It is the cradle of football.
"The stadiums, the fans who do not stop cheering, everything has a very special flavour that is not seen anywhere else in the world.
"So imagine, it is such a pleasure for me to go back to Old Trafford, one of the best stadiums and [one of the] biggest teams in the world.
"We are a brave team that likes to attack and always win. [This game] will not be an exception. It's like a big Champions League game.
"For the fans, it's a massively interesting match. For the players, [it is] one of those matches that everyone wants to play at least once in their life."
Manchester United have enjoyed exceptional form under Erik ten Hag, especially when playing at the Theatre of Dreams.
The Red Devils are unbeaten in 17 home games - a run which includes 15 victories.
The last team to win at Old Trafford was Real Sociedad who enjoyed a 1-0 success during a Europa League group stage meeting.
When asked whether there was a hint of fear about the trip to Old Trafford, Xavi responded: "Fear? Fear of what? On the contrary, Old Trafford motivates.
"It is one of those stadiums where you want to play at least once in your life, where you have to get the best out of yourself.
"We have to be brave, go all out for the game without complexes. It's like at the Bernabeu, you have to be brave. And to be a great team you have to win at those grounds. And we want to be a great team. That's how I see it."
