FCBARCELONA.CAT

29.04.2008 23:15

Model fans make their mark at Old Trafford

www.fcbarcelona.cat

The nearly 4,000 Barca fans at Old Trafford tonight really made themselves heard in the stadium, urging the team on right until the end of a nail bitingly exciting finale as Barca played with great ambition and intensity.

This was the biggest number of away supporters to travel with the team this season and even though their commitment wasn’t rewarded with a win, the fans certainly made an impact at the match, despite being heavily outnumbered by the United supporters in the 75,061 crowd, who suffered right to the end as Barca laid siege to the Manchester penalty area.

In the end, the fans’ model behaviour and devotion to the cause wasn’t quite enough as the magic of Old Trafford again reasserted itself with United winning their twelfth home Champions League game on the trot thanks to Paul Scholes’ first half strike.

Fifth semi final defeat

The defeat was Barca’s fifth at this stage of the competition, having gone out to Real Madrid (1959/60 and 2001/02 seasons), Leeds United(1974/75) and Valencia (1999/00) before United added their name to the list with tonight’s win.