Romelu Lukaku said Manchester United need to play with greater heart in Barcelona to reach the Champions League semi-finals.
The striker was dismissive of comparisons between United’s comeback against Paris Saint-Germain and the task after a 1-0 first-leg defeat against Barcelona, saying the team “have to improve and do better than we did in Paris”. He was plain about what will be key at Camp Nou. “Taking our chances and not conceding a goal, and play with more heart and bollocks,” he said, mouthing the last word.
Lukaku was unimpressed with the level of much of United’s performance. “We have to believe and have the desire and more quality. Be better on the ball and then you never know what can happen in football.
“I don’t think we played with the same arrogance and confidence on the ball [early on]. Second half we tried and the first 20 minutes of the second half we were there. It’s something we have to do for the whole 90 minutes over there and not concede a goal and score early.”
On eight occasions Barcelona have taken a 1-0 lead into the second leg of a European tie at Camp Nou and they have progressed in seven of them, the exception coming in the 1980-81 Uefa Cup when Köln won 4-0.
Yet Paul Pogba believes United can cause a surprise if they can be “killers in front of goal”. They did not have a shot on target at Old Trafford but Pogba is confident the tie is far from settled.
“We saw a team we can beat,” he said. “If you don’t believe that then you just let them go through. We believe we can beat them. They are Barcelona but we are Manchester United and we play in the Champions League like they do and we can go through.”
The midfielder feels Barça could be affected by United’s recovery from 2‑0 down in the previous round. “Probably PSG will be in their minds, because they saw what we can do. They will be comfortable on their own pitch but let’s see.”
Pogba acknowledged United will need to be at their best on Tuesday. “We have to avoid giving them chances and be killers in front of goal … We know we can hurt them as well as they can hurt us.”
He refused to respond to a question from Spanish media as to whether he would like to face Barcelona in a clásico, having said in March that playing for Real Madrid would be “a dream for anyone”. Pogba, who has described himself as happy at United, was then asked whether he was staying at the club. “I only talk about the match, not about other things,” he said.