Barcelona 0-0 Manchester United

Not the performance i had hoped for, or the result either, but i will take it. At least unlike last year in the san siro the defence held firm, especially after losing Vidic before the game to a stomach bug, which saw Brown move to centre half and Hargreaves replace him at right back. As soon as i saw the players selected, it was obvious we were going to play 4-4-2. Unfortunately it wasn't a very offensive 4-4-2, especially with Rooney deployed out wide and Ronaldo in the middle. It was to become even more defensive as the game wore on given United's increasing inability to keep a decent amount of Possession.
How different the game could have been though. United started reasonably well playing patient passing football and then within a couple of minutes United won a corner. As Ronaldo got his head on the ball Milito somehow managed to handle it for what was for me a clear penalty. Up stepped Ronaldo, and we hoped a 1-0 lead, only to see him hit the upright. I must admit the thought did go through my mind that maybe it was going to be another one of those horror nights in a Champions League semi final. From there on in Barca took an increasing grip on the game. As usual Barca kept possession superbly with their midfield taking a vice like grip of the game. Messi lived up to his billing as a contender for best player in the world. Almost everything good that Barca produced went through the little Argentines feet. But for all the nice silky football from the Catalan giants, as soon as they got to the penalty area it all came to nothing as United snuffed everything out pretty comfortably. The only real scare in the first half came after one of the best moves of the match saw Etoo put through centrally, but the majestic Ferdinand got a vital block to avert the danger. At the other end although United were creating virtually nothing going forward, Ronaldo was robbed off a chance to put right his earlier penalty miss. A terrible cross field pass from Iniesta was cut out by Ronaldo who was then clearly took out by Marquez, but i suppose the chances of getting two penalties at the Nou Camp are minimal. I think we were just glad to get to half time still level after playing so badly even though Barca hadn't really troubled us.
But i was never one who just thought United would turn up and batter Barca at their home ground. I expected that we would come under pressure at times, but what i was looking for was for us to use our possession when we did have it to the best of our ability. But the longer the game went on the more obvious it became it wasn't going to happen. United's passing was pretty woeful all night, there was no patience, everybody bar Scholes was trying to play the killer pass at the first opportunity meaning United never got any rhythm going all night. The service to ronaldo was negligible and the lack of support he got was pretty embarrassing at times. The only non defender to play up to his usual standard was, unsurprisingly to me anyway Paul Scholes. He defended well and more importantly in light of the performances going on around him he hardly ever gave the ball away.
Barca dominated the game again in the second half but just as in the first half they never really converted the possession into chances on goal. Their best chance of the half came after the best move of the night that saw Etoo try to beat Van Der Sar at the near post when he should have tried to go across him. United's one and only chance came when Carrick beat his man brilliantly but hit his shot into the side netting.
A goalless draw isn't usually an ideal score in two legged European football, but i have got to say i really fancy us to beat Barca in the second leg. Let's hope i am not being my usual over optimistic self. I suppose the best way to sum up the game would be to agree with what Hansen has been saying about United this season, they have been the best team at picking up results when playing badly. If we do go through next week though, i hope it's not like that.

This was written before the match last night, ironically, as Scholes showed to all his doubters he does still have what it takes at this level.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/04/23/is_it_time_for_fergie_to_ditch.html

Another guardian piece before the match asking who is the better player, Ronaldo or Messi. Messi was the better player last night, but there isn't much in it for me. Watching last night Messi does have something of the Maradona about him, the low level of gravity, the way the ball sticks to his feet and the ability to shield the ball. When you look at the age of him, Barca should have got rid of Ronaldinho last season and built the team around Messi.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/04/23/debate_is_cristiano_ronaldo_a.html

Chris Waddle's view of the match
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7363408.stm

Henry Winter's match report includes the snippet that Henry asked to sawp shirts with Paul Scholes at the end of the night
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/04/24/sfgbar224.xml

David Pleat's view in the guardian
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/04/24/united_set_up_second_leg_by_co.html

Csacarino in the Times on the match
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3804151.ece

Vidic is a big doubt for Saturday as well now
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/04/24/sfnman224.xml

Berlusconi shows opposition didn't cramp his style, as another gaffe looks like coming back to haunt him.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/berlusconi-hit-by-first-crisis-as-alitalia-faces-bankruptcy-814065.html

Food shortage hits American shops now,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/23/usa2

Even the CBI boss is now having a go at the bonus culture in the financial world
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/apr/23/creditcrunch.banking