UEFA Champions League 2018/19: Manchester United 0-1 FC Barcelona - 5 Hits and Flops 

#1 Hit - Gerard Pique

Pique was sensational at the back for Barcelona

Although Barcelona dominated possession for the majority of the game and got over the line with a win in the end, they were put under stern pressure during certain spells in the game.

Manchester United came out flying in the second half and pushed until the very end to try and salvage something ahead of the return leg in Spain next week.

However, they were unsuccessful and a large part of the credit, if not all, has to go to Gerard Pique for his composure at the back even when his team were put under pressure from the hosts.

The Spaniard, who was on the books at Old Trafford before establishing himself at Barcelona, reveled on his return to Manchester, and stood tall to ensure that Barcelona came out unscathed in the end.

Ernesto Valverde's men were made to grind out a result in the end and Pique was streetsmart in his approach to help the Catalans secure a vital result under difficult circumstances away from home.

Although Clement Lenglet looked a bit rattled on a number of instances, Pique was always ready to step in and provide comfort to his partner at the heart of the visitors' defence and played the ball out from the back with his confidence.

The defender probably made his biggest contribution on the night when he produced a last-ditch block to stop Anthony Martial going one on one with Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, after a rampaging run from the forward.