RON: ‘GET OPENER & & REDS CAN WIN’
BARCELONA legend Ronaldinho believes Manchester United are capable of producing a shock in the Nou Camp tonight.
United take on the might of Barca in the Champions League quarter-final, trailing 1-0 from the first leg.
The Spanish giants have gone 30 home games in Europe without tasting defeat and are strong favourites to beat United and face Liverpool or Porto in the last four.
But Ronaldinho believes the first goal will be crucial – and home fans will start to get nervous if United can score it.
The Brazilian superstar (above), who spent five seasons with Barca and helped them win the Champions League in 2006, said: “The truth is that Barcelona should have finished the game in Manchester – but at just 1-0 Manchester United will still believe they are in this tie.
“With the way that Barcelona have been playing and the amount of goals they have been scoring, I do expect them to progress.
“I see them even winning comfortably now. It will all be on the first goal.
“If Barcelona score it, then it will be a long evening for Manchester United.
“But if United can score the first goal, then it’s going to make the stadium nervous – and you never know what can happen after that.”
Ronaldinho has also backed Tottenham to go all the way to the final. Spurs take on favourites Manchester City at the Etihad tomorrow night holding a slender 1-0 lead. Pep Guardiola’s Quadruple-chasing outfit are expected to survive.
But Ronaldinho insists Mauricio Pochettino’s side could be the dark horses.
He said: “Why can’t Spurs win the Champions League?
“Because they don’t have the history in the competition – or because they have never won it before?
“Every team who has won the Champions League had to win it for the first time once.
“Their result against Manchester City, who are one of the best teams and have some of the best players in the competition, showed that Tottenham can compete with the best.
“At this stage they will believe they can go all the way – and if they play as they can maybe they will.”