How Casemiro can emulate Paul Scholes and help Man Utd beat Barcelona

At 7:59pm on April 29, 2008, Paul Scholes wheeled off to celebrate one of the most famous goals in Manchester United history.

The 33-year-old had just scored the goal that would send United through to their first Champions League final of the 21st century, seeing off Barcelona by a 1-0 aggregate score-line and setting up a date with Chelsea which the Red Devils would ultimately go on to win.

Nearly 15 years later, the two sides will again face off at Old Trafford. This time, it's in the knockout stages of the Europa League - a title which does not fit the magnitude of this famous affair, nor the quality of two resurgent squads.

Just as they did back then, United will need a midfield general to step up, neutralise their possession-hungry opponents and inspire a victory. Enter Casemiro.

How Paul Scholes inspired Man Utd to victory over Barcelona

That game is remembered for one moment: This trademark Scholes strike, a thunderbolt from range which cruved into the top corner and would not have been stopped by any goalkeeper on the planet.

It came about from some attacking pressure, with Barcelona's defence ultimately losing their cool and gifting Scholes with an ocean of space from around 30 yards. The England international could sense an opportunity and wasted little time in stealing the ball and executing his shot to perfection.

But that doesn't tell the whole story - one of a disruptive presence who fought to neutralise Barcelona's midfield.

The first play of the game saw Lionel Messi drive at the United box, only to be thwarted by Scholes. Sure, it was a foul and resulted in a free-kick, but it was a sign of things to come from a player who had worked to become more of a deep midfield presence over the years.

There were niggly fouls and predictably mis-timed challenges but the purpose was clear. Barcelona couldn't really get in their stride, and if (when) they were going to get through to United's defence, they'd have already been pushed out of their comfort zone.

How Casemiro has improved Man Utd

A lack of midfield balance has been a common criticism of United for years. Paul Pogba was supposed to be the general, as were Nemanja Matic, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marouane Fellaini. United had been searching for that sense of control for years.

They spent the summer of 2022 pursuing Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong but stumbled upon Casemiro after failing to land the Dutchman. As Plan B's go, this one could be one of the best ever.

What Casemiro brings to United's midfield cannot be overstated. The Brazil international is calm, composed and alert, sensing danger before opposing attackers even realise they might have a chance in the first place.

With more control over his challenges than Scholes, Casemiro is a typical midfield anchor who throws himself into tackles and happily hands out possession to his more creative teammates, all while retaining an interest in getting involved in the goal-mouth action if the time arises.

Safe in the knowledge that one of the greatest defensive midfielders of his generation is supporting them, the rest of United's squad play with that little bit more freedom. They can afford to take risks because the consequences are now not as scary as they once were - a liberty which has been evident throughout Erik ten Hag's squad this season.

What does Casemiro need to do to beat Barcelona?

Nobody in United's squad knows more about Barcelona than Casemiro. As a former Real Madrid player he has come up against the Blaugrana 20 times - a personal record for the Brazilian.

In those 20 games, Casemiro has secured nine wins and five draws, proving he knows what it takes to get the job done against Barcelona.

To beat the Catalans on Thursday, Casemiro will need to remain alert. His responsibility will be shielding the defence from deep bursts from the likes of De Jong, while also ensuring Robert Lewandowski doesn't escape his attention either.

As Wout Weghorst noted after his surprise run-out as a midfielder in the first leg, Barcelona are all about moving possession. They'll pass one way, then the other and then back once again, all in the hope of dragging their opponents out of position. Casemiro simply cannot allow that to happen.

Like Scholes did all those years ago, Casemiro must be aggressive in his attempts to unsettle Barcelona. There can be no space for Xavi's bunch of passers to work with, and if they do get through, Casemiro must know when a foul is the best course of action.

If he wants to pop up with a 30-yard screamer, then great. Casemiro doesn't score a lot of goals but does have a habit of adding a worldie when he does get the opportunity, and the stage is set for the Brazil international to steal the show once again on Thursday.