For a brief period of time, it appeared as though Manchester United were going to bring a 2-1 lead back to Old Trafford.
When Barcelona defender Jules Kounde put the ball into his own net with 31 minutes left on the clock, there was a feeling that Erik ten Hag's side were about to take the advantage in their Europa League play-off tie with the Catalan giants. However, Xavi's men, as they have done frequently this term, responded well.
It was the home side who took the lead in the 50th minute through former Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso, but United reacted positively and levelled proceedings through the in-form Marcus Rashford. Things got even better for the Reds - courtesy of French international Kounde - but Raphinha ensured the scoreline was level heading into the second leg.
ALSO READ: Man United fans slam officials following Europa League clash vs Barcelona
The Reds deserve credit for how they approached the game, and Casemiro - not for the first time this campaign - showed why United were willing to spend £70m on a 30-year-old in the summer. The Brazilian midfielder was superb against Barcelona. He is exactly the type of player, and character, that United have been crying out for in recent years.
His presence on the pitch helped those behind him, too. However, United's defenders, despite conceding twice, also performed well - and with no Lisandro Martinez due to suspension, Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw were both under pressure to deliver. The latter once again demonstrated why he is more than capable of playing at centre-back with a confident and assured showing, while his partner on the night did exactly what he has been doing for a decade.
It was the 29-year-old's 50th competitive appearance in a United shirt, but only his second game for the club in the Europa League. He missed three matches in the competition through injury this season and was rested for the other two group-stage clashes. As a result, his presence in Europe has been missed this campaign, but against Barcelona, he helped keep one of the most dangerous strikers on the planet off the scoresheet.
While Varane should arguably have dealt with Raphinha's cross that went all the way in, his overall performance was solid. He recorded six clearances, made two tackles, won six of his eight duels and managed 56 accurate passes (83.3%). However, it was his leadership and marshalling of the defence that was most impressive on Thursday night, and he did what Ten Hag said he would all the way back in September.
Following United's win over FC Sheriff, the United manager lauded Varane's leadership qualities, and not for the first time. It came a month after the Frenchman had replaced captain Harry Maguire for the 2-1 win over Liverpool, and the Reds have not looked back since.
"The reason (for another clean sheet) is we were good in possession and we defended very well," Ten Hag told MUTV. "With Rapha Varane there as the leader, he puts everyone in the right position, he fits really good together with Licha Martinez and also the two full-backs did their job really good.
"Difficult start, opponent really played direct, opportune, go for second ball, we lost too many balls at the start of the game but after a certain period I think we found a better formation, especially over on the left side.
"And you see we can play between the lines and we adapted our game and we scored a great goal and from that moment on we dictated the game total."
The Reds were never going to dominate possession away at Camp Nou, but it was vital that they made the most of the ball when they had it. Casemiro played a big part in that, but so did Varane. The former Real Madrid man - whose name was booed by Barcelona fans - was calm when it mattered most, and his leadership qualities helped to elevate the players around him.
With no Martinez at centre-back, it was vital that Varane raised his game. Shaw has proved that he is a competent centre-back, but the Englishman will have been looking towards his partner to help him through the clash. While it was not the Frenchman's classiest display since he arrived at Old Trafford, it was certainly an important one.
The fact that United will progress to the knockout stages with a victory in the second leg is massive. Ten Hag's men don't need to come from behind, and they don't need to worry about away goals. The Reds manager has a decision to make with the other centre-back, but Varane - barring an injury at the weekend - will certainly play. Not only that, but he will be vital if the Reds are to progress in the competition.
READ NEXT:
