Manchester United have two former Real Madrid players in the team ready to give the upcoming ties with Barcelona a little extra bite.
While Cristiano Ronaldo is now long gone, both Raphael Varane and Casemiro have done battle with Barcelona multiple times, and scored against them before.
This experience could be vital when United head to the Nou Camp this week, while Jadon Sancho has also netted at the stadium before.
But if there is one player who will have a particular point to prove, it is Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who will renew hostilities with Barcelona once again.
Casemiro’s war of words with Xavi
Barcelona are managed by former star Xavi, who once passed Manchester United off the pitch at Wembley in the Champions League final in 2011.
Xavi left Barcelona in 2015, the same time Casemiro broke into the Real Madrid team after a loan at Porto.
The Spanish midfielder may admire the former Real star, but in 2018 while playing for Al-Sadd, Xavi managed to upset Casemiro by describing him as a somewhat limited player.
Quoted by ESPN, Xavi said: “Casemiro is super fast, but he has trouble with everything else as he has not worked on it.
“He has other characteristics, is more defensive, makes more tackles, covers more ground, but he does not dominate space-time. If you had started with Casemiro aged 12, 13, 15, then he would have that.”
Speaking ahead of winning his fourth of five Champions League trophies with Real Madrid, Casemiro was asked about Xavi’s comments and hit back.
He responded by sarcastically clapping back at Xavi’s comments: “Everyone says what they want, but I’ve been here four years, and heading into my fourth Champions League final…”
“I couldn’t sign for Barca, as I can’t play football the way Xavi wants. I am with Madrid until death.”
Casemiro’s career took an unexpected turn this summer when he chose to break his ‘until death’ pact and leave the club for a new challenge at Manchester United.
Now he is on a collision course with a Xavi led Barcelona, and the Brazilian knows it will not be easy.
Casemiro started last March when Barcelona stunned Real Madrid to win 4-0 at the Bernabeu, recording their first El Clasico victory in three years.
This was Xavi’s first derby in charge, and Casemiro’s final one. Now at Manchester United, the five-times Champions League winner will have a real personal motivation to want to get one over on his old rivals.
Casemiro is fresh after serving a domestic suspension, with the final game of his ban being the league game between the two Europa ties.
Source: unitedinfocus.com
