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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Alex Young

Man United handed toughest possible Europa League draw with Barcelona play-off tie

Manchester United have been drawn against Barcelona in the Europa League play-off round.

In a mouthwatering two-legged tie, the English and Spanish giants will face off for a place in the last-16 stage of the competition.

United's failure to finish top of their Europa League group - finishing behind Real Sociedad on goal difference - has pitted them against one of the Champions League dropouts.

Barcelona finished behind Bayern and Inter Milan in Europe's top-tier competition, and will now write another chapter in an intriguing history between themselves and United.

The two teams have twice met in the Champions League final, with Barcelona winning both, in 2009 and 2011, while United’s last victory over the Catalan outfit came in 2008 when Paul Scholes hit a stunning winner in the semi-finals on the way to United beating Chelsea in the final.

United have faced Barcelona 13 times, winning just three. Barcelona have won the last four on the trot - including those to showpiece fixtures.

The ties will be played on February 16 and 23, with the first leg at Camp Nou.

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