If there were any illusions, Manchester United now know how far they must travel under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The gulf that exists between them, and the elite of the European game.
A panicked opening aside, this was as comfortable as the scoreline suggests, the game never in doubt after 20 minutes, Barcelona and Lionel Messi superior, the weakness in this United group heartlessly exposed. When Alexis Sanchez came on to a warm reception with 11 minutes to go, it was a reminder.
The player that United broke the bank to recruit is in essence a Barcelona cast-off. Those that are good enough to make it at Nou Camp will not be leaving for Old Trafford any time soon. Barcelona is the home of the best in a way Manchester United has not been for some time now.
Lionel Messi can't stop smiling after giving Barcelona a two-goal lead after just 20 minutes at the Nou Camp
The Argentine skipped through to the edge of the Manchester United box before sending a fairly tame shot at goal
However, Messi's shot slipped through the grasp of David de Gea to gift the Catalan giants their second goal of the game
United's Spanish goalkeeper hunches over after making a rare mistake to give Barcelona their second goal at the Nou Camp
BARCELONA: (4-3-3) Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto (Nelson Semedo 71), Pique, Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Arthur (Vidal 75); Messi, Suarez, Coutinho (Dembele 81)
SUBS NOT USED: Cillessen (GK); Malcom, Umtiti, Alena
GOALS: Messi (16, 20), Coutinho (61)
BOOKINGS: Suarez (77)
COACH: Ernesto Valverde
MANCHESTER UNITED: (4-3-3) De Gea; Jones, Lindelof, Smalling, Young; McTominay, Fred, Pogba; Lingard (Sanchez 80), Rashford (Lukaku 73), Martial (Dalot 65)
SUBS NOT USED: Romero (GK); Mata, Andreas Pereira, Matic
GOALS: None
BOOKINGS: None
COACH: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
REFEREE: Felix Brych (Germany)
MAN OF THE MATCH: Lionel Messi
VENUE: Nou Camp
ATTENDANCE: TBA
For more of Sportsmail's fantastic MATCH ZONE feature, please click here.
Lionel Messi breaks the deadlock with a superb solo effort by firing a left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the net
Philippe Coutinho arguably scores the goal of the game after finishing off a well-worked Barcelona move with a long-range effort to make it 3-0 on the night
Messi has not scored at the quarter-final stage of this competition since April 2013 against Paris St Germain – although he has had 50 shots – but he made up for it here.
As for Philippe Coutinho, any thoughts he may be have cause to regret his move from Liverpool, will be countered by nights like this – and the goal that gave the scoreline the emphasis it deserved.
Messi played a long crossfield ball from deep in his own half to Jordi Alba, who found Coutinho on the overlap inside. He cut towards the centre once more and struck a delighting curving shot, high and over the reach of David De Gea.
If Barcelona were disappointing at Old Trafford, this win and 4-0 aggregate outcome are a reminder of the standards they continue to set. Standards that United can only dream of reaching right now.
The problem for Manchester United was that everything was on their side but the one aspect that matters most: quality.
Messi blows a kiss to the stands at the Nou Camp after superbly breaking the deadlock with brilliant solo effort
The Barca talisman nutmegged United midfielder Fred before sending a wicked left-footed shot to the bottom left corner
Messi watches his shot nestle into the inside side netting of De Gea's goal with the Spaniard unable to reach the shot
Messi (left) celebrates with Philippe Coutinho (right) after the Argentine gave Barcelona an early lead on Tuesday night
They had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the wheel, they had their history at this great stadium and the night it gave them in 1999, they had the mythology that has built around their transformation this season, the comeback in Paris and the idea this could be their year, as it was for Chelsea and their unlikely steward, Roberto Di Matteo, in 2012.
One problem with that. They couldn’t live with Barcelona after a sprightly first two minutes. In that period United took their hosts by surprise, hit the bar and fumbled a second good opportunity. Had either of those chances gone in, who knows?
The fact is, they didn’t, and Barcelona are not the type of team to let mistakes in front of goal slide. Take yours because you sure as hell know they will take theirs. Well, enough of them, anyway. If Barcelona took every chance that came their way they would have goal difference in the hundreds each season.
So when Marcus Rashford broke through after just 35 seconds and, instead of a firm low finish, tried a hybrid chip, clipping the bar of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, there were immediate thoughts it could be a pivotal moment. So too the pass that found Scott McTominay in a ridiculous amount of space immediately after.
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