Man United vs Barcelona is finally here, the game fans have been eagerly anticipating. An in-form Lionel Messi will lead his team against a Red Devils that have stumbled recently but Leo has his own worries ahead of this tie.
Since winning the title in 2015, the Catalan giant has not made it past the quarter-final season, crashing out in the last eight in every season following their last triumph. One reason, but not the only, is Messi's unflattering goalscoring drought at this stage.
The Argentine icon, despite being the Champions League's second all-time leading scorer, has not found the back of the net in the quarter-finals in six years. His last strike at this stage came against PSG back in April 2013.
While this horrendous form precedes the Blaugrana's quarter-final hoodoo, it is a huge stain on the 31-year-old's record. While eternal rival has gone on a goalscoring spree in this tournament, Leo has gone 11 straight quarter-final ties without finding the back of the net.
Despite taking a whopping 49 shots in the last eight since that strike against PSG, Messi has failed to convert any of those attempts. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner enjoyed four wins and suffered four losses in those 11 games (D3).
Since Leo's drought began in the second leg of that clash with PSG in which he last scored, Barcelona has secured progression twice during his barren spell. A quarter-final elimination was their fate in every other season.
While the Red Devils have kept three clean sheets this season in the Champions League, they have conceded seven times and have endured three defeats. This could mean good news for La Pulga, who is out to end his awful run. Whether he will or not is the million dollar question.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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