So this was not the classic we’d hoped for, not a semi-final to compare to Manchester United against Juventus in 1999. But the result was the same: United are in the final. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side weren’t at their best but the manager deserves credit. Often outwitted in the late stages of European competition, he did a number on Barcelona. United weren’t the better team, but they had better tactics.

True, Frank Rijkaard’s side adapt for no one, so you know how they’ll play, but Ferguson’s tactics got the job done over 180 minutes, even with injuries. It wasn’t thanks to inspiration or genius, but workrate, a high tempo and organisation.

Ferguson made good decisions, such as deploying Owen Hargreaves at right back and using wingers to protect the defence as well as to offer an outlet. Who cares that the past two games won’t go down in history as greats? It’s what happens in Moscow next month that matters.

You could see Ferguson had loosened the shackles for this leg because Patrice Evra was bombing forward, seemingly at will. But it was risky because it gave Lionel Messi more space. Leaving Messi on his own to run at the heart of the defence is the last thing you want.

Nani was a surprising selection, but he did well defensively. Park Ji Sung also impressed, though Edwin van der Sar’s terrible kicking is a concern. Still, while Ferguson got things correct overall, it was not perfect. In the first half there was not enough team play from United. Individuals tried to do too much and lost the ball. It was a sign that they were caught up in the pace, excitement and importance of the game.

That and the way Evra charged forward were examples of how United didn’t quite have the balance between defence and attack right. If last week they were too defensive, this time they were too attack-minded early on.

That might sound strange since United were at home and the tie was level on aggregate, but one of the reasons Barcelona are so entertaining is that their style encourages an open match. They want you to attack them. They want you to send men forward in numbers because when you lose the ball, they’ll hit you on the break and punish you for leaving so much space. That knowledge surely influenced Ferguson’s thinking in that cautious first leg, when even forwards such as Wayne Rooney had to act as shields.

For Barcelona, Samuel Eto’o, poor at the Nou Camp, was a little more his old menacing self, although Messi was the main man - he outshone Cristiano Ronaldo. Barcelona, however, are built too much around their star.

While it’s risky to pile forward against Barcelona, it’s a temptation that’s hard to resist because their defence is so poor. Just as they hope to catch you out, you can do the same to them. Rijkaard’s team are fragile - look at the way they wobbled for 15 minutes after Paul Scholes scored. Look at how the goal was conceded, a ten-yard pass across the penalty area, a crazy risk. That’s why United were right to play two up front and pressure the Barcelona defence, even though Ronaldo is more effective out wide than centrally. In Rooney’s absence, Carlos Tévez was a capable replacement, with his running, workrate, technique, stamina and nuisance factor.

Even though Scholes is not the player of old, he was one of the better performers at the Nou Camp. If he doesn’t seem to have had a great season, that’s because he’s played more safe passes than he used to. However, Scholes does good work that goes unnoticed, along with the odd unmissable moment.