Barcelona host Manchester United Thursday in a match-up which has twice graced the Champions League final but this week has the relative ignominy of taking place in the Europa League play-off round.

The Catalans crashed out of Europe’s premier competition at the first hurdle, while Manchester United finished runners up in their Europa League group, leading their paths to cross.

Despite the tie’s diminished stature, both fallen giants are on the rise and among the teams in the best form across the continent.

More details on SportsDesk.