---
title: "United vs Barcelona – Last 5 Meetings"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2015/07/24/united-vs-barcelona-last-5-meetings/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
section: "Man Utd Match Previews"
published: "2015-07-24T19:50:00Z"
modified: "2015-07-24T19:50:00Z"
---

# United vs Barcelona – Last 5 Meetings

It’s been more than four years since the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final was fought at Wembley, but a deep sense of lamentation still endures for a Manchester United fan.

Going back a few years, the spectacular Paul Scholes’ strike in the semi-final of the competition in 2008 still evokes a pacifying and joyous emotion.

There is another heartbreak heralded as ‘The tragedy of Rome’ somewhere in between those two games. Such has been the beautifully bittersweet ties between the two footballing giants over the last few years.

And the two clubs meet again in San Francisco on Saturday as United look to end their pre-season tour of the United States. Keeping that in mind we look at the last five meetings between the two sides.

**FC Barcelona VS Manchester United, 8th August 2012, Gothenburg**

The two sides’ last meeting was in a pre-season friendly back in 2012. Despite it being a friendly, the two clubs fielded their strongest possible teams with Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Paul Scholes all featuring. The game itself didn’t meet the expectations as the two sides battled a goalless draw before Barcelona edged out United on penalties. Rooney missed a penalty in regular time prior to the end of the first half as he put the rebound off Victor Valdes’ save wide. The three-penalty shootout saw Ashley Young and Nani missing from the spot.

**Result:** 0-0 at full time, Barcelona win 2-0 on penalties

**Manchester United VS FC Barcelona, 31st July 2011, Washington D.C.**

United met the Catalan giants again just two months after the harrowingly tormenting night at Wembley. Fortune favoured the Reds this time as goals from Michael Owen and Luis Nani proved sufficient to see off their continental nemesis. Nani opened the scoring in the 20th minute and Sir Alex Ferguson’s side enjoyed the lead until the 70th minute before Thiago Alcantara’s spectacular long range effort brought the scores level. Six minutes later, Owen timed his run to perfection and raced 40 towards goal with no defenders in his way to give United a seemingly meaningless victory which if argued, had a few if not many vindictive undertones.

**Result:** Manchester United 2-1 Barcelona

**FC Barcelona VS Manchester United, 28th May, 2011, London**

The Catalans handed the Reds yet another footballing lesson in their second UEFA Champions League Final meeting in three years as Lionel Messi inspired the side to an emphatic victory at Wembley. With an uncanny resemblance to the events of Rome three years ago, United started the game with invigorating optimism before being annihilated by Barca’s brilliance. Pedro Rodriguez gave Barca the lead in the 27th minute before Wayne Rooney equalised in stunning fashion in the 34th minute. The second half saw United witness a footballing master-class from Messi and co. as two further goals from the Argentinean and David Villa sealed the Catalans’ fourth European Cup.

**Result:** Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United

**FC Barcelona VS Manchester United, 27th May 2009, Rome**

United went into this game looking forward to become the first team in history to win back-to-back UEFA Champions League trophies. The first ten minutes of the game saw the Reds pose a constant threat to Barcelona having Cristiano Ronaldo already test out Victor Valdes through a free-kick in the fifth minute. The dynamics of the game went through a paradigm shifting change once Samuel Eto’o gave Barcelona the lead in the 10th minute. The midfield duo of Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta tormented the life out of United fans as they sat haplessly wondering the fate of the game. The fate was sealed twenty minutes from stoppage time as Lionel Messi making an absolute mockery of his diminutive stature rose what looked like a few storeys above ground and put a well placed header past Edwin van der Sar.

**Result:** Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United

**Manchester United VS FC Barcelona, 29th April 2008, Manchester**

United went into this game after playing a goalless draw in the first leg at Camp Nou; a game that witnessed Cristiano Ronaldo uncharacteristically miss a penalty which would have given United the advantage going into the second leg at Old Trafford. But that proved to be unnecessary as club legend Paul Scholes’ moment of brilliance in the 14th minute saw him blast a shot from 25-yards out that tore the inside netting of the goal beyond the outstretched hands of Victor Valdes. That goal was enough to send United to their first final in nine years which they subsequently won against Chelsea.

**Result:** Manchester United 1-0 Barcelona