Jordi Cruyff is relishing a “special” Europa League tie between Barcelona and Manchester United but thinks it is a shame they will not meet later in the competition.
Barca finished behind Bayern Munich and Inter in Champions League Group C, plunging them into the Europa League for a second consecutive season.
Monday's knockout round play-off draw handed the Catalan giants a heavyweight clash with United, which Xavi lamented as the "most difficult" assignment possible.
Blaugrana sporting director Cruyff, who represented both clubs during his playing days, would like such a mouthwatering tie to have taken place in the latter stages of the Europa League.
"I think it's a draw that both teams would have preferred to have further down the line, not so quick, but that's the beauty of football, you never know what's going to come," Cruyff said.
"It came now, and it's probably going to be a tough match for both, but also very special as these are two historic football clubs.
"Barcelona is a club where the pressure is always at the max, everything you start, you always need to win. That's the pressure that these sorts of clubs have, the same that United will have.
"For us, it's a motivation and the fact that we get a team like this so quickly means that this competition isn't easy at all. It's difficult, but you know that we're motivated."
Barca have fond memories of their recent fixtures against United, having beaten the Red Devils in four successive meetings – including Champions League final triumphs in 2009 and 2011.
Newcastle stun PSG as Manchester City, Lazio, Barcelona and Atletico all win
Local lads Dan Burn and Sean Longstaff scored as Newcastle celebrated a rousing 4-1 win over French champions Paris St Germain on the Champions League’s return to Tyneside.
Miguel Almiron lit the touch paper for a memorable evening in front of more than 50,000 raucous supporters at St James’ Park by scoring Newcastle’s first goal in Europe’s premier club competition since Alan Shearer’s double at Inter Milan in March 2003.
Burn and Longstaff put the Group F tie beyond PSG before Fabian Schar smashed home a superb fourth to secure three points to go with the one with which they had returned from AC Milan a fortnight ago.
Lucas Hernandez gave PSG brief hope when he pulled one back but a star-studded line-up including Kylian Mbappe were kept largely subdued in the Magpies’ first home Champions League fixture in two decades.
In the so-called ‘group of death’, Eddie Howe’s side sit top after two games as Borussia Dortmund held Milan to a goalless draw at the Westfalenstadion.
Manchester City struck twice late on to continue the winning start to the defence of their crown with a hard-fought 3-1 success at RB Leipzig.
Julian Alvarez finally settled City’s nerves in the Group G encounter with a fine strike six minutes from time at the Red Bull Arena before fellow substitute Jeremy Doku wrapped up the win.
Phil Foden had opened the scoring midway through a first half the holders dominated but the hosts responded against the run of play through Lois Openda.
Osman Bukari’s strike two minutes from time helped Red Star Belgrade claim a point after a 2-2 draw against Young Boys.
The Serbian side went ahead through Cherif Ndiaye and although Filip Ugrinic’s strike and Cedric Itten’s penalty turned the tide, Bukari slotted home to secure a share of the spoils.
Substitute Ferran Torres snatched the only goal of the game as Barcelona extended their 100 per cent start in Group H with a hard-fought 1-0 win in Porto.
The hosts had most of the chances but were undone by a blunder from Romario Baro in first-half stoppage time which allowed Torres to go through and slide the ball past Diogo Costa.
It was not all plain sailing for the visitors, who had to survive a torrid late spell which culminated in Gavi being sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card.
Toby Alderweireld missed a last-gasp penalty as Royal Antwerp threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.
The hosts were cruising as Arbnor Muja and Michel-Ange Balikwisha struck but Danylo Sikan scored either side of Yaroslav Rakitskiy levelling as Donetsk turned the match on its head.
Alderweireld had the opportunity to at least claim a point for Antwerp after Taras Stepanenko was adjudged to have handled in the area but the former Tottenham defender put his spot-kick wide.
Celtic’s 10-year wait for a Champions League win at Parkhead continued as Lazio scored at the death to secure a 2-1 Group E victory – just after the home side were denied a goal following a lengthy VAR check.
Kyogo Furuhashi’s effort was cancelled out by Matias Vecino before substitute Luis Palma fired home in the 81st minute after Daizen Maeda had attempted an overhead kick from Alistair Johnston’s cross, and the VAR officials decided he was offside.
There was a bigger blow to come when former Barcelona and Chelsea forward Pedro headed home from fellow substitute Matteo Guendouzi’s cross five minutes into stoppage time.
Alvaro Morata bagged a brace as Atletico Madrid twice came from a goal down to secure a 3-2 triumph over Feyenoord.
Mario Hermoso’s own goal and David Hancko nudged Feyenoord ahead twice but Morata and Antoine Griezmann made sure Atletico went in at the break level. Morata then struck shortly after the resumption to secure victory for Atletico.
Ferran Torres scores only goal as Barcelona edge past Porto
Substitute Ferran Torres snatched the only goal of the game as Barcelona extended their 100 per cent start in Champions League Group H with a hard-fought 1-0 win in Porto.
The hosts had most of the chances but were undone by a blunder from Romario Baro in first-half injury time which allowed Torres to go through and slide the ball past Diogo Costa.
It was not all plain sailing for the visitors, who had to survive a torrid late spell which culminated in Gavi being sent off in injury time for a second yellow card.
On a history-making night for Barca, Xavi named Lamine Yamal in his line-up, making him the youngest starter in Champions League history at 16 years and 83 days old, beating the previous record held by Celestine Babayaro.
The teenager provided plenty of threat in the visitors’ front line, as did former Benfica star Joao Felix, who was given a tasty reception on his return to Portugal.
Baro should have done better with a Joao Mario cross in the seventh minute but failed to get his shot off in the box, then Pepe’s touch also let him down after being fed by the dangerous Mehdi Taremi.
Barca keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen comfortably gathered a tame effort from Stephen Eustaquio and it was not until the 23rd minute that the visitors fashioned a real chance when the ball fell to Felix on the edge of the box but he fired just over.
Robert Lewandowski’s night was ended by an apparent ankle injury on the half-hour mark and he was replaced by Torres, but it was still Porto who threatened with Wendell in particular posing problems down the left flank.
But Baro undid all Porto’s good work on the stroke of half-time, when his blunder allowed Ilkay Gundogan to intercept and he raced clear and fed Torres, who did the rest.
Barca came close to extending their lead early in the first half when Yamal poked a shot on the turn at Costa, then Felix almost sprang onto a Torres through-ball.
But the visitors were grateful to Jules Kounde on 54 minutes after the defender got a foot in to deny what looked like a certain equaliser after Pepe had been sent through on Ter Stegen.
As the game strayed beyond the hour mark, Taremi and Wendell had half-chances for the hosts, who also had a strong penalty claim rejected by VAR after Joao Cancelo appeared to handle in the box.
Porto continued to press and Taremi had the ball in the net in the 83rd from a sublime overhead kick but was ruled clearly offside.
In a torrid final few minutes Gavi was dismissed before Francisco Conceicao twice came close to an elusive equaliser.
How does Manchester United’s current struggle compare to previous poor starts?
Manchester United have endured their worst start to a season since 1986, following Tuesday night’s Champions League defeat at home to Galatasaray.
United have lost six of their opening 10 games in all competitions, a tally not seen since the latter stages of Ron Atkinson’s managerial reign.
Here, the PA news agency compares their current struggles with previous poor starts.
37-year low
Erik ten Hag’s side were booed off the pitch on Tuesday after another disappointing performance at Old Trafford.
The 3-2 loss to Galatasaray was United’s second in successive Champions League matches – following a 4-3 reverse against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich – to go with four Premier League defeats.
The Red Devils succumbed 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, compounding previous losses against Brighton, Arsenal and Tottenham.
A 3-0 win over Palace in the Carabao Cup last week was by far their most convincing of the season, with narrow Premier League victories against Burnley, Nottingham Forest and Wolves doing little to silence the doubters.
United’s total of six defeats in 10 games is their highest since the 1986-87 season – the year that Sir Alex Ferguson took charge of the club.
Under Ferguson’s predecessor Atkinson, United lost six of their first eight Premier League games, with a 5-1 win over Southampton in mid-September providing only temporary respite.
Atkinson was sacked in early November with United in the bottom four of the First Division.
No defence
United’s main issues under Ten Hag appear to be in defence, with the Dutchman having watched his side concede 18 goals already this term.
They have shipped at least three goals on four separate occasions – at home to Galatasaray and Brighton and away to Bayern and Arsenal.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana is yet to prove himself to be a significant upgrade on David de Gea, while a back four shorn of key injury absentees such as Lisandro Martinez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw looked all at sea against Wilfried Zaha and co on Tuesday.
Their total number of goals conceded is higher than the 13 shipped in the first 10 games in 1986-87, and surpasses anything seen in the Ferguson era or subsequently.
United also struggled defensively at the start of 2022-23, conceding 17 goals in the first 10 games – a tally matched only by Louis van Gaal’s first season (2014-15) and one of Ferguson’s early campaigns at the club (1989-90).
However, Ten Hag oversaw a significant improvement in the remainder of last season, with United going on to keep a Premier League-leading 17 clean sheets across the whole campaign.
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