Barça and Manchester United signed a two-way game, with many alternatives on the scoreboard, which ended in a draw (2-2). The azulgrana advanced and then went through a lot of trouble when the English came back from behind the initial goal. The Europa League round of 32 tie will be decided at Old Trafford. "We have to improve for the return leg," Sergi Roberto opened up after the match.
"When they scored against us they pushed us harder. With the result in your favour, you feel calmer. In the end we tied and they backed down. Both teams have had chances. We have to improve for the second leg", said the captain Barcelona player, who entered the field to replace the injured Pedri.
"He has told me that he has something in his quadriceps. Let's hope it's as little as possible, Pedri is essential," he said of the canary. The man from Reus entered the field in the 42nd minute, when the first half was dying, which was largely controlled by the Blaugrana. After the restart, the goals came and a broken game.
"Manchester United likes to have the ball but they also like to make transitions. An interesting game. It's a shame not to be able to win, but we have the second leg. The goal was to win but it couldn't have been. Better a draw than a defeat. We have fought until the end", the midfielder assessed the red devils.
Lastly, Sergi Roberto claimed a penalty in the final stretch due to the hand of Fred, an action that happened very close to the Catalan. "I have seen that he hits him in the hand. The referee said that he had it stuck. The bench said no. They have reviewed it and have said no," he concluded.
"It's an important and special goal for me and my family (...) A lot of sensations. It's a special moment in which you try to be inside the game. Trying to concentrate on what's happening on the field and leave the rest for later", For his part, Marcos Alonso, who dedicated the opening goal of the match, a header from a corner kick, said to his father, also called Marcos Alonso, who played for Barça during the eighties.
"We were comfortable. There has been a time when the game has gone back and forth, but we have to take the positive things out and go to Old Trafford to get through the tie," the winger explained about the game, who acted as a support against the English center back until in the second half he was replaced by Andreas Christensen.
After the two goals in just a few minutes from the red devils, Alonso stressed that they knew how to "react". "We have played a complete game and we are capable of going to win there next week", concluded the defender, who, facing the visit to Old Trafford, emphasized "having a little more control and knowing how to suffer to try not to fit in ".
Consult all the results of the Europa League.
