There is little optimism in Barcelona that Frank Rijkaard’s team will be able to find their form against Manchester United after a disappointing season in which they have again trailed behind Real Madrid in La Liga, and the Champions League represents their only chance of a trophy.

“It’s Sant Jordi against Saint George,” El Periódico wrote. “Catalans and Englishmen share a patron saint, but he can’t be on both sides on April 23. After the second leg at the Theatre of Dreams, Barça can only hope to have shaken off the nightmare that they have been living for more than a year, and open their eyes to find that they have woken up in Moscow.”

United are seen as a team who have none of Barcelona’s problems. “Without dressing-room intrigues, without significant injuries, with the spine of the team assured for the next few seasons, Ferguson’s only problem is getting the right 11 names on the team sheet. The same isn’t true of Barcelona, where everything is in the hands of one player [Lionel Messi].”

“Messi is the great hope for overcoming Manchester United,” the Sport tabloid said. “It’s all or nothing, and right now Messi is everything.”

Expert View

Certainly, without Ronaldo, United are nowhere near as potent, but that could be said of any team shorn of their most influential player

Martin Samuel

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Background

• Ronaldo: I'll take next penalty

• Ferguson gives Messi licence to thrill

• Ferguson to analyse lack of 'penetration’

• Barcelona off the hook as Ronaldo misses penalty

Background

• Barcelona v Manchester United: how they rated

• United thankful for a second chance

• Chances sure to come at Old Trafford

• United left to rue Ronaldo penalty miss

“Barcelona have left the race for the league title with barely a whimper,” said El Mundo. “They have two matches in which to achieve forgiveness, but it will be difficult for these players to rediscover their best qualities and the team the values that have distinguished it in Europe. Barça have seldom played at its best for 90 minutes, but on St Jordi’s day, they simply have to.”

Almost the lone voice talking up Barcelona’s chances is that of Johann Cruyff, their former manager, who writes for El Periódico. “If Barça do what they know how to, they could be in Moscow,” he wrote. “Forget the stumbles in the league, the Champions League is another story. Whatever the majority might think, the players have the talent. If Manchester United have Cristiano Ronaldo, then Barça have Messi. If Ferguson’s team have Rooney, then Barcelona possess Eto’o. If the Old Trafford team is relying on Tévez, Barça has Bojan and Henry. Scholes? Iniesta. Rio Ferdinand? Milito. In individual talent, it’s a draw.

“Then the question is which team will impose its style on the other. Barça must play as a team or individual genius, even Messi’s, won’t be effective. They must try to dominate possession and defend from the front. It’s simple — where is all United’s talent? Midfield and up front. Where are their least technically talented players? In the back four. So put pressure on them and force errors.”

Eto’o, though, was quoted as saying he would want to leave if Barcelona kept up their trophy drought. “If we still haven’t won a trophy by next year, I’ll have to go somewhere else,” he said. El Mundo wondered at the effect on team morale of the timing of Eto’o’s comments. “As if all the defeats haven’t been enough,” it wrote.