Sergio Busquets sent a warning to his Barcelona teammates ahead of their Champions League clash against Manchester United on Wednesday.
Barcelona gained a major boost in the La Liga after their win against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
The side is now eleven points ahead of Diego Simeone’s side, and are on course of lifting their second consecutive La Liga title. However, the side can barely rest at the moment.
Champions League is a competition where Barcelona faced significant disappointment over the last few seasons. The side suffered defeats in their previous three quarterfinal ties of the Champions League, and would aim to end the run this season.
The side faces Manchester United on Wednesday for the first tie at Old Trafford, and Barcelona’s midfielder Sergio Busquets had a message for his teammates.
Busquets on Manchester United:
The Barca midfielder identified Manchester United’s strengths under their manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and signified that his side needs to prepare efficiently to stop the host side on Wednesday night.
He acknowledged that the English side has improved under the Norwegian manager, and stated that Barcelona needs to be at their best.
“United are better now under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer,” Busquets said.
“They don’t mind letting you have the ball because they sometimes know that the other side are technically better.”
The midfielder further talked about Manchester United’s win against PSG, pin-pointing the two attacking strengths of the side.
“As we saw against PSG they take advantage of their counter-attacks and their set-pieces,” he added. “If you make any mistakes, they capitalise.
This is the first time both the sides are meeting in a competitive game since the final of the Champions League in 2011, where Pep Guardiola’s side outclassed United with a 3-1 win.
Wayne Rooney scored in the first half to end the halftime with an even scoreline, but Barcelona schooled Manchester United throughout the second half, eventually lifting the title.
This was Sir Alex Ferguson’s last Champions League final before he retired as the manager of the side as a Premier League winner two years later.
How Twitter reacted..
🎙️[The Guardian] | Sergio Busquets: “The recognition from opponents is the highest praise.”
🔶 The Barça midfielder rates Pep Guardiola’s 2011 European Cup win as the club’s pinnacle and, if they can beat Manchester United again, would relish facing Guardiola’s current side. pic.twitter.com/yxHxGMA7qp
— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) April 8, 2019
🔷 The last time Manchester United met Barcelona ended with a plea for mercy when Wayne Rooney approached Xavi Hernández and, Busquets recalls it, said something like: “That’s enough, you’ve won. You can stop playing the ball around now.”
— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) April 8, 2019
🔶 He recalls what Sir Alex Ferguson said: “No one has given us a hiding like that.”
🔊 Busquets: “Beyond the way we enjoyed it on the pitch, that recognition from opponents – and we’re talking about incredibly important people – leaves you feeling pride and gratitude.”
— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) April 8, 2019
What next?
Earlier, Coutinho also named two Manchester United players who could prove to be dangerous for the side in the game. Barcelona travels to Old Trafford for the first leg of the tie on Wednesday night.
