Manchester United and Barcelona have a healthy history of European bouts over the course of their histories.
Traditionally, these are on a Champions League stage but this week the two clubs face off in the second leg of their Europa League play-off, something unimaginable a decade ago. United’s last Champions League final saw them succumb to Barcelona at Wembley in 2011.
United's last European trophy came in the 2016/17 Europa League, but their most recent Champions League triumph unforgettably came on a rainy night in Moscow in May 2008. John Terry’s slip is etched in the minds of Chelsea and United fans alike but if a piece of luck brought the club their first Champions League trophy since 1999, then a moment of magic initially sealed their place in the final.
READ MORE: How Manchester United should line up vs Barcelona
United had to get past then-holders Barcelona to reach Russia. Mikael Silvestre didn’t get off the bench in the goalless first leg at the Nou Camp but did get a taste of the action for the final moments of the second leg.
He entered the field to shore up shop for the final four minutes, including stoppages, to ensure United got through to the final after Paul Scholes’ 14th-minute thunderbolt, a strike he later clarified was a miskick. “It came off the outside of my foot,” he told Gary Neville on the Overlap in September.
“I don’t think I was thinking of doing that. I was thinking of hitting the target to be honest with you, but when it goes towards the keeper and that way… you don’t mean that. No chance.”
Either way, it sent Old Trafford into a wild eruption, leaving a young Lionel Messi, on-pomp Iniesta and now-boss Xavi speechless. Silvestre remembers it well.
“The atmosphere was crazy and European nights on Old Trafford are the best nights because the atmosphere is always electric,” he told the Manchester Evening News, courtesy of bettingexpert.com.
“The club has a massive support and they love the games against the big clubs. Thierry Henry, Xavi and Iniesta played that game of course, so it was a great experience with a wonderful goal from Paul Scholes from outside the box.
“It was an amazing feeling because we managed to go to the final because of our performance in that game. It was a very emotional game and I remember the celebration with the fans and my teammates very well. It was a great feeling.”
United will be hoping to make similar memories at Old Trafford in the coming days. As for Silvestre, he did eventually get minutes on the Nou Camp pitch two years later with Arsenal.
“The crowd at Camp Nou is crazy and the fans are so loud,” he recalled. “It's impossible to hear your own teammates even though they are standing only 15 metres away from you.”
After United come through that crucible of pressure and, they can use their own raucous support for their advantage in what is sure to be a memorable night for fans next week.
READ MORE:
