5
Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has warned his teammates that Old Trafford will not be an easy place to go and get a result, as the home crowd will be spurring the Manchester United players on.
Kounde spoke to reporters ahead of the clash between the two sides later tonight.
Barcelona have a chance to cause a massive upset at Old Trafford by beating United and proceeding to the next round of the competition.
The two European giants played out a 2-2 draw a week ago at the Camp Nou.
In what was a thrilling affair in Spain, there was a moment in the game when the Red Devils were 2-1 up and the Frenchman brought down Marcus Rashford just outside the box.
The referee deemed that it was not a foul – a decision which drew Erik ten Hag’s wrath. The Dutchman was booked for his protests at the decision.
Many within the fanbase felt that Kounde deserved a red card since it was a clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
Kounde told reporters that he does not feel lucky and the referee made the correct decision. The defender remarked that it was a 50/50 and he had every right to challenge for the ball.
The Barcelona star said about Old Trafford, “It’s a stadium that will push on their players. We have to be switched on from minute one because our opponents are quick in the duels and strong. The initial minutes are important to take confidence into the rest of the game.”
Kounde was also quizzed on Rashford and his side’s plan to contain the lethal United striker.
“I think he’s a very good player, He can do a lot of things, he’s very fast so it makes it difficult.”
“Great at reading space too, so it’s always a challenge to play against this type of play but also exciting, this is why we play. It’s our mission to make it difficult for his team to find him.”
