Barcelona instructor Xavi has actually classified Manchester United among Europe’s ‘top teams’ adhering to a 2-2 draw at Camp Nou in the Europa League however thinks both clubs are ‘coming back’ from lean years.
The phase of Thursday evening’s Europa League knockout playoff initial leg was an unlike the Champions League finals of 2009 and also 2011 when Bar çan and also United fulfilled in Rome and also London specifically for the right to be crowned Europe’s best.
But such has actually been the resurgent type of both groups this period after corresponding issues, this was still the choice of all the UEFA components being played today. What’s a lot more, the 2-2 draw that leaves the connection naturally positioned in advance of the 2nd leg at Old Trafford really did not let down.
“It was a really tough game, really difficult, with a lot of intensity, passion, rhythm,” Xavi informed BT Sport later on. “I think we have to be proud because we competed really well until the end. We could have won in the last two chances, but we played against a top team in Europe.
“I think both teams are more or less in the same moment, in the same position, that we are coming back. I said to [Erik] Ten Hag now, ‘congratulations’, because he’s doing very well and they are Manchester United.
“It can be a final, a semi-final, a quarter-final maybe in the future of the Champions League, but now we are in the Europa League and we are coming back. Today we showed our very best performance, a very good performance from both teams.”
