the floodlights are shining down on the players here at the estadio mestia
my name is derek ray and ready for this tactics board to provide all the analysis is stuart
robson and what we have for you tonight is live champions league group stage match day one action
it's barcelona versus manchester united well thanks derek this should be a tight group so it's
vital these teams get off to a good start here this should be a very competitive game tonight
well this is what we think for barcelona mark andreito stegen starts in goal
pk starts with andreas christensen in central defence from kessie starts with sergio busquets
in central midfield and leading the attack today is robert lewandowski
this is the team manchester united will go with david de gea between the posts victor
lindelof plays alongside rafael varan in central defence fred starks alongside
nemanja matic in the center of midfield and the focal point in attack today as cristiano ronaldo
it's the opening match day champions league group stage match day one underway
the attack continues they're making considerable progress just missing narrowly on the volley well
it's a fantastic effort difficult technique but he caught it so well he's unfortunate
fred
here's ronaldo could be dangerous keeping possession of the ball ronaldo oh my goodness
he's caught that so well a goal of the highest class fantastic technique well here's the replay
and what a well-delivered cross this is perfectly placed but you do have to ask questions of the
keeper could he have done better here i think so you can't be beaten at your near post like that
and barca get the ball moving once more how will they react
fatty
excellent vision just let his opponent fly by
fred
cristiano ronaldo
pk
showing good patience delivering this into the box pretty comfortable piece of defending
oh a nice looking pass defended well
can they be creative from here
and a girl here the keeper unable to prevent it barcelona are level
well just look at this again the speed of counter attack is so impressive and it all leads to a
very tidy finish he just guided it with great technique into the net it's a really good goal
so back underway following the equalizer
diogo
here's ronaldo it's a fine united move in the making and that is offside
christensen kessier has it lewandowski
barcelona have given us away
cristiano ronaldo
well i must say no shortage of space for barcelona
we're getting right on top of their opponents and winning it back
promising looking ball
a goal he's dispatched it much to the sheer to light of the fans
well here's the replay he's done really well to get his head up and pick somebody up with
that cut back and from there he never looked like missing that's a lovely goal
so back in business can manchester united bounce back
the room to roam on the wing
crossing opportunity alex tellez has it
and they need to get tighter here and dribbling with it but out of play
as you see barcelona haven't had too much of the ball but their counter attacking has been
really good particularly in the wide areas it's been an excellent performance from them so far
well unable to hold this run and that's offside
bruno fernandez
here's ronaldo rashford ready to fire defensive excellence there
can they hit on the brake all hands on deck pulls it back
look as though they might make real progress on the counter attack not
so cristiano ronaldo
keeping possession of the ball with authority
working away patiently looking for an opening but then the commentators curse comes into play
and possibilities here superb block
united might be able to cash in this could level it no problems grabbing hold of that one
now the electronic board showing one additional minute
and across the touch line so a throw in here
ferran torres
can they get in behind them could play it in
well the first 45 minutes have come and gone here in catalonia
i think most fans would be pretty happy with this man's display so far well i thought he had
a really effective first half not only did he get the goal that gave them the lead but his general
play was really good he was a constant threat and i'm sure we'll see more of him in the second half
and so the second half of this champions league group stage match day one contest commences
it's with alex tennis matic
he's very adept at protecting the ball bruno fernandez defensive brazilians to shut them
down it certainly wasn't a clean tackle and the referee has got to book him i think and following
the infringement a caution yeah no surprise there that was always going to be a booking
fatty
christensen
and torres on the ball
lewandowski couldn't hang on to it
matic here is fred cristiano ronaldo
and they have possession again
fred could be dangerous and even might wonder how on earth he got there
over
and possession lost by barcelona
linda
well united have certainly controlled the ball as you can see but it means nothing unless they
start to be more creative particularly in the wide areas up to this point they've
been too easy to defend against textbook closing down and now they're on the attack
manchester united keep the ball advantage and a harmless cross gobbled up
what a bad pass it was
mctominay options in the center across there that was decidedly ordinary good pressure
can they make something of this decent position and cristiano ronaldo waiting it might still be
problematic really good challenge and breaking at pace with menace
do they have the guile to open up the defense
and the ball is loose plays it back determined block
given away by manchester united i'm trying to get forward
robert lewandowski in the middle not all that convincing defensively
moving into the advanced position
fatty lewandowski give it away by basa rashford find teamwork to win it back
scott mctominay showing patience looking for the equalizer well i think a classic
commentator's curse just then couldn't make the ideal pass i'm over promise on the flank and
crossing towards the far post and the danger still on and reading it absolutely superbly
well let's see what they have in store for them on the break advantage manchester united
diego jallow
raphael ronaldo superb defensive judgement to end the attack
rashford and even might wonder how on earth he got there
a corner then and with time running out they've got to ask questions
and united will switch things around personnel
wise keen to take it short here and a fine cross still not clear
and the referee has awarded the free kick he tried to play advantage but it wasn't forthcoming
moving the ball with purpose
and pushed onto the woodwork well the goalkeeper got there in the end
well his recovery is brilliant here so athletic
there might very well be late excitement five minutes left and the margin just won
high quality defending
lewandowski and a long way out here oh he could have added to their advantage well
it was a decent effort but they're still looking for the buffer here
scott mctominay
and we are going to have two additional minutes he's in with a chance
and making sure nothing untoward happened following the cross
a corner kick and who knows this might represent the last chance the gravity equalizer
so full time it is and the morale boosting three points on the board to begin the european
campaign well you always want to get off to a good start and that's exactly what they've done here
now they can look forward to the next game they're in a great position
oh really no complaints whatsoever about his performance in this game stuart
well he was excellent today and he gave them that all-important lead
they just struggled to cope with him his movement was so
clever you