Thursday, 3:00am
Man Utd v Barcelona
H 4, D 3.75, A 2.05
With the completion of their domestic title defenses seeming a formality, Barcelona and Juventus can now focus on the Champions League.
For the rest of the quarterfinalists it’s a far more challenging period that will stretch their squads while ambitions at home and abroad are juggled.
The quarterfinals have been the end of Barcelona’s Champions League journey for three successive seasons since winning a fifth European title in 2015.
United is in the last eight for the first time since 2014 when defeat helped spell the end of David Moyes’ reign as Alex Ferguson’s immediate successor.
Victory at Paris Saint- Germain last month, though, contributed to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being handed the United job on a three-year contract after convincing the ownership of his credentials during a three-month audition after Mourinho’s firing.
United hosts Barcelona at Old Trafford with the luxury of having not played for more than a week since an April 2 loss to Wolverhampton.
“We will have less rest but on the other hand we will be more motivated by the victory over Atletico,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said.
While Barcelona opened an 11-point Spanish league lead over Atletico with a 2-0 win on Saturday, United is in sixth place in the Premier League — two points off fourth with six games remaining. AP
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