Some Leeds United fans have been reacting to a recent post on Twitter by the Elland Road outfit reflecting on their 1-1 draw with FC Barcelona in 2000.
Leeds welcomed Barcelona to Elland Road on October 24 for a Champions League clash, having taken two wins and two draws from their opening five Group H games of the season after overcoming 1860 Munich in the Qualifying round.
Barca had thrashed United 4-0 on the opening night of the Group Stage, but the Whites showed signs of promise in their following encounters with a 1-0 win over AC Milan and a 6-0 demolition of Besiktas.
David O’Leary’s West Yorkshire outfit could only manage to take a point against Barcelona, but that and a draw with Milan was enough to see that they moved on to the Second Group Stage at their La Liga opposition’s expense.
The next stage saw Leeds face Real Madrid and Lazio, and would go on to beat Deportivo La Coruna in the Quarter-Finals before coming unstuck in the Semis against Valencia as they reached the end of their road.
United still went further than any other English side in that year’s competition, with the now-Championship outfit enjoying a youthful side under O’Leary featuring the likes of Lee Bowyer, Danny Mills, Mark Viduka, Alan Smith and Jonathan Woodgate.
It was a Bowyer strike that opened the scoring against Barcelona 19-years ago, when the midfielder riffled home a free-kick from the left-wing that floated over the area and into the far corner of Richard Dutruel’s goal.
But Rivaldo would prevent a Leeds win in the fourth-minute of second-half stoppage-time, leaving many Whites fans ‘gutted’ and feeling like they had been beaten.
Here are some of the messages shared in response to Leeds’ throwback post…
I was gutted when they scored. Felt like a defeat. Especially after that Milan game
— LUFC Meal Deal 1 ?? (@lufc_mealdeal1) October 24, 2019
Great nights they were ??
— Alan Thompson ?? (@thombo1987) October 25, 2019
You could’ve heard a pin drop when rivaldo equalised in injury time .GUTTED.?
— Woody????????? (@yorkywoody) October 24, 2019
They were great times to be alive
— Sam Edmundson (@EdmundsonSam) October 24, 2019
Among the responses to Leeds’ post on Twitter, many fans sought to laud the efforts of Paul Robinson from that night, as he fought valiantly to frequently deny Rivaldo and his Barcelona teammates from breaking the Whites’ goal line.
The now-retired shot-stopper emerged from Leeds’ academy in 1998 to make his Premier League debut against Chelsea in a 0-0 draw on October 25, and went on to make his Champions League debut with the Whites against Besiktas a week before facing Barcelona in October 2000 (TransferMarkt).
Robinson made 109 appearances in total for Leeds before joining Tottenham Hotspur, and many fans continue to laud his efforts against the Catalan colossus.
@GKPaulRobinson was unreal that day. Can remember Rivaldo virtually running off to celebrate a free kick that he somehow got down to save ??
— . (@robw123q) October 24, 2019
Performance of a lifetime fron Robinson that night, denied Rivaldo with 3 or 4 worldie saves. The ref made sure Barca werent going out that night and played till they scored!
— Paul (@wellylufc79) October 24, 2019
What a night to be at ER that was, dominated them, Robbo was incredible, robbed by the ref. But great memories.
— Chris Foster (@Chris_R_Foster) October 24, 2019
Robbed. Robinson had a blinder.
— LUFC_Willo ?? (@BlueSmokeWillo) October 24, 2019
Another key man against Barcelona on that day for some United fans was Bowyer, who made his Champions League debut in the 4-0 defeat at the Camp Nou (TransferMarkt).
The Charlton Athletic product made a total of 246 appearances for the Whites between making his debut against Derby County in 1996 and leaving for West Ham United in 2003.
He has since returned to his boyhood side in a managerial capacity, and some Leeds fans feel he should be their next manager should Marcelo Bielsa leave his duties.
Bowyer has overseen 82 games as a head coach at the Valley, winning 42 and taking an average 1.73 points-per-game.
Nice to see that you’re showing so much love and appreciation for our next manager ?
— Ralu (@RaLUFC) October 24, 2019
Very possible
— Keep fighting ? ? (@sam51h) October 24, 2019