In a great evening atmosphere, Marcos Alonso opened the scoring with a header from a corner (50th), but the Mancunians immediately responded with a first goal from Marcus Rashford (52nd), and a second concluded by Jules Koundé against his camp after an incursion and a tense cross from the English international striker on the right side (59th).

A quarter of an hour later, it was Raphinha who snatched the equalizer for the Catalans: the Brazilian, brilliant on the right wing since Ousmane Dembélé's injury, extended a cross for Robert Lewandowski who left the ball heading towards the small net (76th).

This draw is nevertheless a nice blow for the men of Erik Ten Hag who arrived, like the Catalans, in an excellent state of form (five wins and a draw in their last six matches)... And yet another annoyance for the Blaugranas, decidedly abused for several seasons on the European scene.

Pedri comes out injured

Already last year, the Catalans, transferred for the first time in decades to the small European Cup without seeing the final stages of the Champions League, were swept away in the quarter-finals by Eintracht Frankfurt. 2-3 at Camp Nou, after being hung 1-1 in the first leg.

Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Pedri injured in the first leg of the Europa League against Manchester United in Barcelona on February 16, 2023 © Josep LAGO / AFP

Barça, however unstoppable on the domestic level since the beginning of the calendar year and its coronation in the Supercup of Spain in Morocco, is it at the dawn of a new disillusionment of this caliber in Europe?

There are too many similarities with last year's rout not to be suspicious.

And the one that will perhaps bring the greatest harm to the Catalans is the injury of the prodigy Pedri, who came out just before the break visibly hit in the right thigh (replaced by Sergi Roberto in the 39th).

The Canarian nugget from Barça had already been injured against Eintracht last year at Camp Nou, and had said goodbye to his season on this elimination.

De Gea and Ter Stegen, impeccable

This time, the injury seems more benign, since Pedri came out of the lawn on his own, escorted by the trainers.

And in his absence, the Catalans at least had the merit of not being defeated.

From left to right, Barcelona players Marcos Alonso, Robert Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong after their draw against Manchester United in the first leg of the Europa League play-off in Barcleone on February 16, 2023 © Pau BARRENA / AFP

"I'm satisfied with the draw. It's difficult to be, because we are Barça, but we competed against a team of a spectacular level, one of the best in Europe, with a very strong block. We managed to raise our intensity to the level of theirs, we even dominated at times", reacted Xavi after the match.

In a full Camp Nou (90,225 spectators, a new record for a Europa League match), and after a start to the match marked by two great goalkeepers and the emotion aroused by the goal of surprise holder Marcos Alonso, who dedicated his goal to his father, ex-Barça player who died on February 8, the Blaugranas delivered a breathless end to the match, with a post and a heavy strike from Ansu Fati diverted by an irreproachable David De Gea, who almost gave them victory.

In a post-match press conference, Xavi like Erik Ten Hag protested against the refereeing: "we were robbed of a penalty", claimed the Catalan while the Dutchman recalled the "very clear red card" forgotten on Rashford at 2-1.

The game is not over: everything will be decided in the return match in a week at Old Trafford, in an atmosphere that promises to be just as electric.

© 2023 AFP