BARCELONA'S third competitive trip to these shores this season sees the celebrated side in need of the Thierry Henry British fans know so well, but who those in Catalonia are still desperate to see.
While Henry has struck in Champions League ties against Rangers and Celtic this season – and also scored on his Barca debut against Dundee United in a friendly match at Tannadice – he has failed to deliver too often for the Barcelona fans to be comp
letely convinced of his merits.
While the Henry of three years ago rightly commanded a reputation as one of the most fearsome strikers in the game the Frenchman's powers have diminished of late, something which provides tonight's already fascinating clash between Manchester United and Barcelona with yet more intrigue.
Can Henry use this return to a ground he knows so well to re-ignite his season, and add to United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's woes? The Scot is already counting the cost of a bruising encounter with Chelsea, where United's 2-1 defeat rendered less straightforward their bid to land a second successive title
Tonight's tie is evenly balanced after last week's 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp, with United hoping for good news on the injury front after striker Wayne Rooney and defender Nemanja Vidic missed training yesterday. "We think both could make it but I can't be dead certain about that," said Ferguson.
There are many in need of a fillip tonight, with Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard also attempting to sustain his hopes of winning a trophy in what seems set to be his last season in charge at the Nou Camp. There are few doubts Ferguson won't be at Old Trafford next season, but he himself admitted yesterday that United's European record is not good enough for a club of such means, although they have won 11 successive Champions League games at home.
After Saturday's 2-1 defeat, United's season could be in danger of unravelling should they also fall to Barcelona tonight, with Henry aiming to re-emerge as a potent force.
The Frenchman started Barcelona's defeat against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, a result which erased the slim hope that the Catalan club might lift the Spanish title this season. Perhaps Henry's inclusion in what was essentially a Barcelona B team says it all about his first season in Spain after last summer's much-hyped £16 million move from Arsenal.
The forward has endured a miserable spell at the Nou Camp, and has not been helped by a chronic back problem. Though this first surfaced at Arsenal, fears about his health were set aside in the excitement his signing generated. One former Barcelona director recently said that whoever sanctioned the transfer "should be shot".
Yet Henry can blow away all the doubts with a starring performance against United in a stadium that knows all about his prowess. Henry scored eight times in 16 matches against United for Arsenal and, when he came on last week during the first leg, looked the most likely player to break the deadlock.
Together with his Barcelona team-mates, Henry is determined to achieve something in a season that, when contemplated on their pre-season camp in St Andrews in July, promised so much. He is also on a personal mission to re-assert himself at the club. Even 17-year-old Bojan Krkic has out-shone him this season, something bound to hurt such a proud and, some would say, arrogant man as Henry.
The French striker has not played at Old Trafford since April 2006, when he was a second-half substitute in a 2-0 defeat. He remains an admirer of English football and this week acknowledged the intensity of a trip to Old Trafford, even if, he maintained, it can't compare to Liverpool.
"It's not like Anfield, which has an incredible atmosphere, but there is some atmosphere," he said. "It will be an important moment for them after playing Chelsea on Saturday especially knowing that playing against us won't be easy for them. With Arsenal we played some incredible games there."
While last week's first-leg clash was anything but the extravaganza many had anticipated, tonight's match is bound to be a more attacking affair. United's performance last Wednesday was criticised for lacking ambition, and the side struggled to put two passes together.
Ferguson's team will be forced to set the tempo tonight while Rijkaard has insisted he will not permit his team to sit back. He revealed that in his four-year tenure at the Nou Camp he has only once asked his team to ignore their attacking instincts, and that was on another trip to England.
"I think that we have always maintained our style of play wherever we have been, with only one exception, which was when we went to play at Chelsea's ground," Rijkaard said, recalling the 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in the group stage of the Champions League in October 2006.
"There we played much more defensively than we are used to because at that point Chelsea were a very well-armed, organised and hard-working team, who were very dangerous on the counter-attack. But against Manchester United, we have to play with aggression and by putting them under pressure."
Rijkaard is set to play with three up front tonight, and Henry's experience and familiarity with the setting is likely to count in his favour when it comes to handing out starting berths. Even given his difficulties this season it doesn't take much effort to imagine a scenario where he puts United to the sword – again.
PREVIOUS MEETINGSEuropean Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final, March 1984: Barcelona 2 Manchester Utd 3 (agg)In the first leg at the Nou Camp, Barca were clearly superior, winning 2-0 courtesy of Graeme Hogg's own goal and Rojo's brilliant strike from distance. In the return, Bryan Robson's first-half diving header gave United the breakthrough. Robson got the second early in the second half and United completed a stunning turnaround as Frank Stapleton blasted home the winner.
European Cup Winners' Cup final, May 1991: Manchester Utd 2 Barcelona 1After the ban on English clubs competing in Europe, this final in Rotterdam saw United end a 23-year European trophy drought. Johan Cruyff's great Barca side – who were to win their first European Cup at Wembley a year later – were without suspended goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta and midfielder Guillermo Amor and injured star striker Hristo Stoitchkov. Barca reject Mark Hughes struck twice in the second half before Ronald Koeman's goal.
Champions League group stage, November 1994: Barcelona 4 Manchester Utd 0The first group game at Old Trafford ended in a 2-2 draw – Hughes and Lee Sharpe scoring for United, Romario and Jose Mari Bakero for Barca. In the return, the wonderful forward pairing of Stoitchkov and Romario were superb. Stoitchkov (two), Romario and Albert Ferrer all found a way past Gary Walsh.
Champions League group stage, September 1998: Manchester Utd 3 Barcelona 3Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs scored within three minutes of each other early in the match before Brazilians Sonny Anderson and Giovanni (penalty) brought Barca level before the hour. David Beckham restored United's lead but the impressive Luis Enrique's 71st-minute penalty secured a point.
Champions League group stage, November 1998: Barcelona 3 Manchester Utd 3Amazingly, the sides did it all over again. This time Barca led first, through Anderson, but the irresistible combination of Dwight Yorke (two) and Andy Cole saw Barca trail twice with Rivaldo levelling both times. United went on to win the tournament at the Nou Camp that season.
Champions League semi-final, April 2008: Barcelona 0 Manchester Utd 0A match which promised to showcase two of the most exciting football sides failed to live up to the hype. Cristiano Ronaldo missed a third-minute penalty.
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