Manchester United v Barcelona head-to-head: in pictures

Bryan Robson and Diego Maradona shake hands before the second leg of the sides' Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final in March 1984. Barcelona held a 2-0 lead from the first leg, but this was to be one of Old Trafford's finest nights... Photograph: Trevor Jones/Getty Images

Robson scored the first two goals – this, the second, the result of a string of horrendous defensive errors from Barcelona – as United stormed to a brilliant 3-0 win Photograph: Getty Images / Trevor Jones/Getty Images

Manchester United's Steve Bruce runs to Lee Sharpe to celebrate his team's first goal in the 1991 Cup Winners' Cup final, scored by Mark Hughes. United won the match, and their first European trophy for 23 years, 2-1 against a Barcelona side missing their star striker, Hristo Stoitchkov, through injury Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images

Mark Hughes, who scored both of United's goals in their 2-1 win, celebrates with the Cup Winners' Cup. He had signed for Barcelona in 1986 and played one disappointing season before returning to United, via Bayern Munich Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images

In 1994 United and Barcelona met in the group stage of the Champions League. The first match was a 2-2 draw, with goals from Mark Hughes and Lee Sharpe (with a brilliant backheel) cancelling out this effort by Romario, and another from Jose Mari Bakero Photograph: Chris Cole/Getty Images

The return match the following month was a one-sided affair. With limits on the number of foreign players in each team Gary Walsh replaced Peter Schmeichel in goal for United and was beaten by Romario, Albert Ferrer and twice by Hristo Stoitchkov, seen celebrating above Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

The teams met again in the group stage in 1998. The first game was a high-scoring thriller – United were 2-0 up at half-time, Barcelona pulled level, David Beckham scored a brilliant free-kick but Barça went and scored again for 3-3 Photograph: Peter Wilcock/PA Archive

The return is played two months later, and remarkably ends in another 3-3 draw. Rivaldo scored twice for Barcelona, and hit the bar with a 30-yard piledriver, but United took the point they needed to finish above Barcelona in the group and eliminate them. United were back at Camp Nou later that season to win the final Photograph: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Sir Alex Ferguson sits nervously on the bench at Camp Nou before the first leg of the 2008 Champions League semi-final, which ended in a 0-0 draw Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

Eric Abidal challenges Wayne Rooney in the first leg of last year's Champions League semi-final. Cristiano Ronaldo missed an early penalty and though Barcelona dominated thereafter they could not find a goal Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Patrice Evra and Cristiano Ronaldo combine to keep the ball from Barcelona's Deco during the second leg of the 2008 Champions League semi-final Photograph: Tom Jenkins

The match, and the tie, was won by this early drive from Paul Scholes. It was United's third victory in their nine games against Barça. They have lost two, and drawn the other four Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Samuel Eto'o celebrates scoring Barcelona's opener against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Tom Jenkins

Barcelona celebrate after winning the 2009 Champions League final against Manchester United. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Tom Jenkins

Carlos Tevez, left, and Cristiano Ronaldo wait for their losers' medals after Manchester United lose to Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League final. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Tom Jenkins