Manchester United travel to The Camp Nou in Barcelona and leave with a draw, and their heads high.

Last Night in Spain Manchester United traveled to Barcelona, Spain last night for a Europa League Thursday Night Round of 32 Matchup. The game would end in a 2-2 draw but the bigger picture is leaning toward Manchester United rather than Barcelona as it is all to play for at Old Trafford. Manchester United and Barcelona were both missing key players, as Man United were missing Marcel Sabitzer and Lisandro Martinez due to European suspensions Lisandro acclimated too many Yellow Cards in the group stage and Sabitzer has a suspension that carried over from the Champions League matches that he played with Bayern. United was also missing Antony Dos Santos, Scott McTominay, and Anthony Martial due to Injury. Donny Van De Beek and Christian Eriksen were also among the injured for the game. Barcelona had key injuries to Ousmane Dembele and Sergio Busquets. Barcelona didn't have the same amount of players missing due to injury and suspension as United did but Dembele and Busquets are arguably Barcelona's most important players, especially Busquets. The game had a very large viewing, with 90,000 fans packed in at Camp Nou. The first half was very end to end with both teams having great chances, and both teams showing their strengths. However, the first half would finish scoreless with Ter Stegen and De Gea both making some great plays, as well as Barcelona and Manchester United's defence making some key plays to keep the first half of the first leg goalless. It wasn't long until Barcelona broke the deadlock. Barcelona would draw first blood with a header from Marcos Alonso, who beat David De Gea at his near post, a very avoidable goal for Manchester United. It wasn't long before Manchester United would draw level, through an assist from Fred, who played one of his best games as a red, to Marcus Rashford who also beat Ter Stegen at his far post just 2 minutes after Marcos Alonso beat De Gea at his near post. From the 52nd Minute to the 60th minute, Marcus Rashford looked like the best player in the world, and in the 59th minute, he would be involved in another goal, which is now 22 on the season, equaling his career-best tally for Manchester United. Manchester United had a corner and it was given to Rashford short from fullback Luke Shaw, and Rashford attacked Raphinha who he had 1v1 and he crossed it into the box where the cross was met with a Bruno Fernandes flick which deflected off of Kounde into the goal, and just like that Manchester United were up 2-1 in The Camp Nou. Throughout the game, Manchester United and Barcelona would both create endless chances and the match was very end to end with both teams showing their qualities, Barcelona winger Raphinha would capitalize off of a Casemiro error and equalize the game in the 76th minute, and after that Barcelona put the pressure on, in the last 15 minutes Barcelona would have chance after chance but could not net the winner. However, there were some controversies in the match with the referee. The foul on Kounde against Rashford when he was through on Goal, and the Fred Handball. The referee last night was not good, for either team but regardless of the referee, The match would end 2-2 with Manchester United with the advantage returning to Manchester as Pedri and Gavi are set to miss the second leg. Rashford, and Ten Hag both, would criticize the officiating in the post-match press conference. "Refereeing has a big influence on this game" he said. "It was a clear foul on Rashford." in the game Rashford was through clear on goal and was fouled by Kounde, or so we thought which would have given Manchester United a penalty kick and a red card against Barcelona Full Back Jules Kounde. "It will have not only a big influence on this game but in this round, referees cannot make such mistakes", Ten Hag would also add. Rashford in his press conference, "Yeah, it feels like a loss, I think we done well to get back into the game the first half was probably a little bit in favor of them but we stayed calm, we stayed composed and we tried to create chances when we could and in the second half we scored 2 goals in quick succession and we felt in control of the outcome, but you know there a good team with top players and managed to get an equalizer", "I just think we was searching for the chances and maybe it's because we were 1-0 behind but I just felt like we were really going for it, and trying to score goals Rashford added. Rashford eluded to the foul that was not called when he was 1 on 1 with German Barcelona Goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen, "It's a massive moment in the game, but in the moment I don't understand why the linesman or the referee thinks that I'm going down there like I've touched it past him [Kounde] and my leg is in front of the ball and he clips my leg and its clear contact, like a said it's not a penalty but its 100% a foul for me, but like I've said I haven't watched it back." "Yeah, definitely it's gonna be a, hopefully, another good game and hopefully we can go that one step further" Rashford also said on the topic of the second leg in Old Trafford. Manchester United and Barcelona both played great football last night and left it all out on the pitch, and even though it ended in a draw but Manchester United leave Barcelona with the advantage as in the second leg they will have the possible returns of Antony Dos Santos, Anthony Martial, Lisandro Martinez, and Marcel Sabitzer. Barcelona will still be without Ousmane Dembele, and on top of that Pedri will be out 2-3 weeks and Gavi will miss the game due to suspension however, Busquets will return probably sometime next week or possibly even the weekend against Cadiz. It's all to play for at Old Trafford.