Manchester United vs Barcelona: Will Ole Gunnar Solskjær's luck against European elite finally run out?

Twice already this season, an established member of European football elite at Old Trafford. Twice they have left victorious. Twice they taught their hosts in this rarefied level. And yet, it is now the quarter-final stage of the Champions League and Manchester United are still standing.

The defeat to Juventus in the group stages of this competition in the face of the deficiencies of this deficiencies It came to be confirmed at this level again.

A few weeks later though, a last-gasp 2-1 victory in Turin, scoring twice after being outplayed for all of 86 minutes. Those three points finally made the difference when it came to reaching in the last-16. Were it a knock-out tie, United would have qualified on away goals.

It was the same story against Paris Saint-Germain, only more extraordinary. For the first time in 107 attempts, a team progressed from a European Cup knockout tie after losing 2-0 at home in the first leg. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side was so much outclbaded for the majority in both games and practically pummelled into the pitch for the first half in Paris.

Will this last-tie tie against Barcelona follow the same pattern? Gold will it be the proverbial bucket of cold water, for the first time? Champions League quarter-final in five years for Europe is top table? The latter, surely, is most likely.

This is Barcelona, ​​after all, manys' second-favorites to win this competition outright behind Manchester City. But unlike Pep Guardiola's side, they will not have to balance their European commitments with a domestic demanding title race. The Catalans all but wrapped up La Liga with their 2-0 victory over at 10-man Atletico Madrid at the weekend.

And though there is some merit in the argument that this side is more vulnerable than in the past, they can still call on the greatest player of all-time. Lionel Messi cuts at the time of the club, knowing that the Champions League is a return of his prime years.

It is a factor that makes the chances of a third. Their form does not help either. Three defeats in the oven have taken the shine off Solskjaer's appointment and it may not be coincidental that they came just as he was at his apex, after that night in Paris.

And even after several memorable European nights already, many members of the United States will be left wanting more. Romelu Lukaku's agent last week suggests that his client's future may be coming from Old Trafford, with the comments emerging just as much as from playing Champions League football next season appear in doubt.

A player of quality David de Gea, who is still negotiating with the club over a new contract. Questions about Paul Pogba's future continues to be asked, despite Solskjaer's insisting on his pre-match press conference on Tuesday that Pogba would still be at the club next season.

They might not have a Leonardo Bonucci own goal back in November or a Presale Kimpembe handball last month. These are the margins that often decide Champions League contests, but it will take something more substantial to prove they are competitive again at this level.

It would be no surprise if, after Turin and Paris, these two legs against Barcelona could be a case of third time unlucky.