PAUL POGBA SAYS that Manchester United know how to beat Barcelona at Camp Nou, while his manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is also confident as the Red Devils eye another Champions League comeback.
United lost 1-0 against Barca at Old Trafford on Wednesday – Luke Shaw’s 12th-minute own goal settling the first-leg quarter-final clash.
Having overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit to reach the quarters at the expense of Paris Saint-Germain last month, United face another uphill battle away to Barca next week.
However, French star Pogba – who has been linked with Real Madrid – believes in United’s chances against Barca.
“It was a good game, obviously we’re playing against Barcelona, one of the best teams in the world,” Pogba told reporters. “But we gave them some problems as well, they gave us some problems but we know where we can hurt them.
“Now it’s one leg gone, we have the other one and we’re going to give everything in this one. We’re going to do everything we can to make it happen and we believe it.
“They didn’t really have a lot of chances, maybe one when David [De Gea] made a great save. But after that they weren’t that dangerous, not a lot of chances.”
Asked if he expected to see so many cracks in Barca’s game, Pogba replied: “That’s what we saw in the videos.
“We know that they are a very, very strong team offensively. One of the best in the world of course. But all teams have flaws. We know what their flaws are so we’re going to target that next game.”
Meanwhile, the United boss believes a Champions League comeback with Barcelona would be a greater achievement than the club’s last-16 miracle against PSG — and his side can do it.
“Of course, the PSG performance gives us hope and belief that we can do it,” Solskjaer said in his post-match news conference.
“But we know we are playing against probably the favourites and going there will be a challenge.
“It’ll be a greater achievement, winning that one, because of the history of Barcelona, they’re not used to losing at home. But we can do it.
“We know we can carry a goal threat, whether it’s [Romelu] Lukaku, [Marcus] Rashford, [Anthony] Martial, whoever playing up there, we have to provide a bit more ammunition for them.”
“With all due respect to the PSG, we were very lucky that evening in Paris,” Lukaku also offered afterwards. “Against Barcelona, it will be much more difficult and we know that we will have to be stronger than we were in Paris.”
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Newcastle look safe now. Hopefully they will already be on holidays when Liverpool go there on May 5th. Either way I’d say Rafa won’t be trying his hardest to stop Liverpool if they are still in with a shout of the title then.
@Flaming Mo: I hope you’re right but Rafa’s as straight as an arrow and I can’t picture him telling a player to go easy can you?….it would be a bit like the time Kenny brought Blackburn Rovers to Anfield looking for a win to secure the premiership, no quarter given that day and none expected by Kenny, you play to win, that day Utd blew it themselves fortunately :)
@Caoimhin O’Murchadha: Matt ritchies left foot is like something sent from heaven his some man to whip a ball across the box
@Ings on Fire: is he not right footed?
@John: no his clearly left footed but ur glasses on
@John: he’s left footed, but he ain’t too bad with his right either
Where is C Clark?
@GARFARKLE: find out yourself
@Aj Leahy: shut up he just asked a question like to get aj /John which is the same account banned
@Ings on Fire: Thank you.
@GARFARKLE: no bother man
@Ings on Fire: funny that ings on fire is also my account
@Aj Leahy: shut up aj everyone knows about u and johns account is a joint account u salmon
@GARFARKLE: he got injured a few months back. Still not fit
@David O’Brien: Thank you.