It was a mouthwatering European draw, a meeting between two of the continents' most romantic clubs in two iconic stadiums, but conversely, it was also what the European Super League was all about.
Manchester United vs Barcelona at Old Trafford and the Nou Camp is as glitzy and glamorous as it gets. History pours forth from such an iconic fixture.
By the end of February, they will have met 15 times in continental competition. There might be more names and narratives to add to a fabled storyline, alongside Paul Scholes in 2008, Mark Hughes in 1991, Bryan Robson in 1984 and Lionel Messi in 2009, 2011 and 2019.
READ MORE: Barcelona can bring the best out of United under Ten Hag
It’s a star-studded cast list that won’t quite be matched this season and the setting isn’t as famous either. The first three meetings between these clubs came in the Cup Winners’ Cup, although the Rotterdam date in May 1991 was the final, but ever since 1994 they’ve met exclusively in the Champions League - including two finals - until now.
It’s still a fixture to set the pulses racing, but the fact it’s in the Europa League rather than in Europe’s top competition means the temperature won’t be red hot. It’s barely even the Europa League, in honesty, with a spot in the last 16 the only prize on offer for the winner. It's a play-off round to stay in the Europa League proper.
But it's also the biggest, most historic match in Europe during the week of February 20, 2023, but it kicks off at 5.45pm on a Thursday night. They might not have entirely lost their lustre, but these clubs have lost their competitiveness.
United have made mediocrity the norm in recent years, a trait Erik ten Hag is trying to unpick, and Barcelona have spent their way to the brink of oblivion. The hard facts are that both deserve to be in the Europa League and one won’t be in Europe at all by March.
It’s a fixture that should be occupying the latter rounds of the Champions League, but football - for now - remains a meritocracy. Had the Glazers and Joan Laporta had their way, that wouldn’t be the case.
It’s 18 months since the European Super League was stillborn thanks to the protests at venues like Old Trafford. The repulsion of the Premier League and from supporters of the big six killed off the idea, but the fact Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus remain signed-up members of the project and are pursuing court challenges shows the desperation of clubs from Spain and Italy to find a way to compete with the best from England.
The protests at United were particularly strong. It was the culmination of 15 years of anger and frustration at the ownership of the Glazer family bubbling over. The castle was stormed before the Premier League game against Liverpool was called off.
It was a day of reckoning for the Glazers and should have been a line in the sand. They promised to change after that, to open better lines of communication, to live up to expectations of being custodians of this club, but it’s been slow progress and for most fans, it’s already too late.
One of the reasons the ESL was so attractive is that it would avoid fixtures like this. A-list matches in B-list competitions.
When Napoli drew Real Madrid in the first round of the old European Cup in 1987 it sparked the birth of the Champions League and the group stage format, with AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi appalled at the idea of one of the biggest clubs in the competition being eliminated so early.
United vs Barcelona in the Europa League might well be used in Spain as another argument for a breakaway league, for guaranteed spots at the top tables for illustrious clubs, even if they haven’t earned it.
That is what the ESL offered and it would have meant that whenever Manchester United met Barcelona, it would always be in the biggest of competitions. That won’t be the case in February.
UEFA figures reveal that the total prize pot for the Champions League this season comes in at €2billion. The Europa League at €465million. These two games will attract more viewers than almost all of the eight Champions League fixtures taking place in the last 16, but the two clubs will receive considerably less for it. Just don’t tell Joel Glazer or Joan Laporta.
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