Lionel Messi first felt the thud of Chris Smalling’s shoulder into his back. Then the Manchester United defender’s flailing right arm swiped across Messi’s face and blood poured from the Barcelona forward’s nose.
Already trailing against a dominating Barcelona side, United on Wednesday had to resort to physicality after 30 minutes to try to thwart the five-time European champions.
It helped prevent any further damage to the scoreline, as Barcelona won the first leg of their quarter-final 1-0 after United defender Luke Shaw unwittingly helped Luis Suarez’s header into the net in the 12th minute.
Photo: Reuters
An equalizer never looked likely, with United failing to register a shot on goal in a Champions League game at Old Trafford for the first time since 2005.
Barcelona’s goal — initially flagged for offside before being awarded via a video review — came during an exhilarating spell when the visitors’ possession exceeded 80 percent.
“It was a great header from Luis,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said. “He was fighting for every cause. He was getting stuck into the defenders, trying to work really hard.”
However, as Barcelona became sloppy and error-strewn, the early passing rhythm faded.
“We lost the ball in our own half a few times too often,” Barcelona defender Nelson Semedo said. “But shutting down those errors gave us this big victory.”
While the Spanish champions ended a six-game winless run on the road in European knockout games stretching back to 2016, this quarter-final is very much still in play heading into the second leg on Tuesday next week.
United only fleetingly imposed themselves on Barcelona, but did so with force when Smalling escaped punishment for the foul that left Messi needing to clean up the blood on the touchline.
“This was a tough, complicated contest,” Valverde said. “We dominated in spells, but their pressure was high and difficult to break.”
The closest Messi came to his first goal at Old Trafford was in the 83rd minute, when the sting was taken out of a low free-kick and it was easily gathered by David de Gea.
United already came back from a heavier first-leg deficit to reach this stage, losing 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the round-of-16 before winning 3-1 last month to help Solskjaer secure the manager’s job.
“The PSG performance away gives us hope and belief we can do it,” Solskjaer said after United’s fourth loss in five games. “But we know we are playing against probably the favorites in the tournament.”
Now United will have to be the first team to win at Barcelona in 30 matches stretching back to 2013 if they are to advance to the semi-finals.
The teams are to have contrasting preparations for the second leg, when Shaw is to be suspended after being booked for tugging at Messi.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care