Tommy Martin: Barca and United now trading off memories of glory days

Watching Barcelona and United play each other in the Europa League last week put one in mind of late-career Laurel and Hardy, reduced to playing provincial music halls to half full houses

OFF-BROADWAY: Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea makes a save during the UEFA Europa League play-off first leg match at Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona. Pic: Isabel Infantes/PA Wire

Watching Barcelona and Manchester United play each other in the Europa League last week put one in mind of the movie Stan & Ollie, in which Steve Coogan and John C Reilly took on the roles of the titular duo touring Britain in their career dotage.

By that stage Laurel and Hardy were trading off memories, reduced to playing provincial music halls to half full houses. But there was still a bit of the old sparkle there and by the end of the tour punters were hanging from the rafters, word of mouth burnishing the showbiz legend for a new generation.