Ahead of next weekend's Champions League final, here's how Manchester United and Barcelona made it all the way to the Wembley Stadium showdown on Saturday, May 28th
Group qualification
Both teams began their Champions League journey last September, with Manchester United playing out a goalless draw against Rangers which suggested that the Red Devils might struggle to reach the latter stages of the competition.
However, Sir Alex Ferguson's side recorded a 1-0 win in Valencia which put them in pole position to qualify from Group C as winners, with further victories coming against Bursaspor (twice) and Rangers.
Meanwhile, Barcelona were winners of Group D, starting off their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 win over Panathinaikos before travelling to Russia and managing a 1-1 draw away to Rubin Kazan.
Pep Guardiola's side were given a couple of tough matches against FC Copenhagen and could only manage a 1-1 draw in Denmark, although they were comfortable winners of the group.
Last sixteen
The last sixteen draw wasn’t kind to the Spanish champions, who were paired with Arsenal after Arsene Wenger’s team stumbled in Group H and were only able to finish second behind Shakhtar Donetsk. Barcelona took the lead in an entertaining game at the Emirates, although goals from Andrey Arshavin and Robin van Persie swung the tie in the Gunners' favour.
The return leg at Camp Nou saw Barca take the lead on the stroke of half-time thanks to a Lionel Messi goal and it was the Argentine scored a 71st minute penalty to ensure that Barcelona went through 4-3 on aggregate.
Manchester United’s goalless draw in Marseille illustrated the English team's defensive qualities, with the Red Devils then beating their French opponents 2-1 in the return leg thanks to a brace from Javier Hernandez.
Marseille scored late in the game to make for a nervous finish, although United’s home record has been strong all season and they were able to close the game out.
Quarter-final
Barcelona were handed Shakhtar Donetsk in the last eight, a draw which must have secretly pleased Guardiola despite protestations that the Ukrainian champions were a tough team to play again.
Andres Iniesta got Barca off to the perfect start in the first leg with a goal in the second minute and the visitors to Camp Nou couldn’t cope with Barcelona’s slick passing which saw them win 5-1. Lionel Messi scored the only goal of the game in the second leg to make it 6-1 on aggregate.
Manchester United were handed an all-Premier League quarter-final against Chelsea - something that neither team wanted. But it was the Red Devils who drew first blood by winning 1-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a goal from Wayne Rooney.
The second leg at Old Trafford saw Javier Hernandez double United advantage just before half-time and the sending off of Ramires seemed to settle matters before a 77th minute strike from Didier Drogba. However, seconds later and Park Ji-Sung netted to secure a 3-1 aggregate win.
Semi-final
Barcelona’s reward for their quarter-final victory was two El Clasico matches against Real Madrid. The first leg at the Bernabeu was a scrappy and ill-tempered affair which saw red cards brandished to Barca and Real players as well as Real boss Jose Mourinho. It was the visitors who landed the spoils with a 2-0 win and made sure of their place in the final thanks to a 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp.
Manchester United’s semi-final opponents were Schalke, but the German side never troubled their English opponents, losing 2-0 at home before being thrashed 4-1 by a United reserve team. Sir Alex Ferguson can expect a stiffer test in the Wembley final on May 28th!
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