• Soccer Football - Europa League - Manchester United Training - Aon Training Complex, Manchester, Britain - February 15, 2023 Manchester United's Casemiro and teammates during training Action Images via Reuters / Ed Sykes
    Soccer Football - Europa League - Manchester United Training - Aon Training Complex, Manchester, Britain - February 15, 2023 Manchester United's Casemiro and teammates during training Action Images via Reuters / Ed Sykes
  • Manchester United's Casemiro with Lisandro Martinez and teammates during training. Reuters
    Manchester United's Casemiro with Lisandro Martinez and teammates during training. Reuters
  • Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes with Casemiro and teammates at training. Reuters
    Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes with Casemiro and teammates at training. Reuters
  • Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Brandon Williams during Manchester United training. Reuters
    Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Brandon Williams during Manchester United training. Reuters
  • Manchester United's Jadon Sancho at training. Reuters
    Manchester United's Jadon Sancho at training. Reuters
  • Manchester United's Harry Maguire and Wout Weghorst train. Reuters
    Manchester United's Harry Maguire and Wout Weghorst train. Reuters
  • Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez with teammates. Reuters
    Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez with teammates. Reuters
  • Manchester United players during training. Reuters
    Manchester United players during training. Reuters
  • Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag with staff. Reuters
    Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag with staff. Reuters
  • Manchester United's Tyrell Malacia with teammates. Reuters
    Manchester United's Tyrell Malacia with teammates. Reuters
  • Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag at training. Reuters
    Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag at training. Reuters
  • Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes trains. Reuters
    Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes trains. Reuters
  • Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag at training. Reuters
    Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag at training. Reuters

Man United's Casemiro, Fernandes and Sancho train for Barcelona clash - in pictures


Stuart James
  • English
  • Arabic

Manchester United return to the scene of their greatest triumph as they face Barcelona in the Europa League play-offs at the Camp Nou stadium on Thursday.

In May 1999, Sir Alex Ferguson's United side beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in a dramatic Champions League final to clinch a historic treble.

Now new United manager Erik ten Hag leads his team into a mouth-watering clash against Barca in the Europa League play-offs first leg.

The Reds, who finished second in their group, will face Xavi Hernandez's team, who were third in their Champions League group, for a place in the knockout stages of Europe's second-tier competition.

The two sides have met 13 times in the past, with Barca defeating United in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals and the Reds winning the 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup final.

United won the Europa League against Ajax under Jose Mourinho in 2017 but lost the 2021 final to Villarreal on penalties during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign.

The good news for manager Ten Hag going into Thursday's clash against Barca is the availability of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who picked up a three-match Premier League suspension for a red card against Crystal Palace.

With Marcel Sabitzer suspended for the game at Camp Nou and Scott McTominay injured, fellow Brazilian Fred looks likely to partner Casemiro in midfield.

Anthony Martial and winger Antony both missed United training on Wednesday, meaning either Wout Weghorst or Marcus Rashford is likely to lead the line at Camp Nou.

Lisandro Martinez is also suspended for the game, although he joined training on Wednesday, so Harry Maguire looks set to partner Rafael Varane in central defence.

Ten Hag said when the fixture was announced: "It's going to be a good challenge. We will see a game played at the highest level.

"I think Barcelona and us as well would have preferred to play this match in the final. We are looking forward to it."

You can see the United players training for the game against Barcelona in the gallery above. To move to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.

Updated: February 16, 2023, 9:50 AM