Tannadice can help to keep Barca in check - Levein

THE question is not a new one at Tannadice Park, and neither has it proved unsolvable. But Hibs' troubles on Thursday night bring a fresh frame of reference, and also urgency, to the dilemma of how to stop Barcelona, with United next in line to tackle the Catalan giants this afternoon.

That they face them their own lair may help, as might the recollection of past deeds. United's current record stands at four wins in five meetings against Barcelona with one loss.

Jerry Kerr and Jim McLean were faced by great odds when their United sides met the might of Barcelona in the 60s and 80s, and trashed expectations with wins in both home and away legs.

But they did not have to deal with a pint-sized phenomenon called Lionel Messi, and neither did Craig Levein on Barcelona's last visit to Tayside.

United lost 1-0 last summer, against a team packed to the gunnels with such talent as Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry. But Messi has brought something new to the team, as has new manager Pep Guardiola. "He has his own way of working," revealed Xavi, the Barcelona midfielder, yesterday. "He demands a lot from the players. We work hard for him."

The class of 1987 means something different to Barcelona than United. At Tannadice it refers to the heroes who went to the Nou Camp and succeeded in not only defending a 1-0 Uefa Cup first-leg lead, but added to it. This '87 vintage included the likes of David Narey, Paul Hegarty and Paul Sturrock, and has been described as perhaps the last, great native-born club side from Scotland.

At the Nou Camp, too, they have reason to celebrate this particular year, despite the humbling by United in the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup. In June 1987 Lionel Andres Messi was born in Rosario, an unglamorous industrial town 200 miles north-west of Buenos Aires. Just over 21 years later he arrives in Dundee, fresh from a cameo display against Hibs which will remain in the memory of all who watched it.

Among this number is included Craig Levein, who caught the match on television at home. Also viewing the action from an armchair, and while presumably in an agitated state, were Danny Grainger and Paul Dixon. One of these men will be charged with the task of stopping Messi this afternoon. Or perhaps Levein, having observed Hibs defender Paul Hanlon's plight on Thursday, is contemplating fielding the pair of them.

"The two left-backs came in this morning with tight hamstrings," a remarkably relaxed Levein said yesterday with a smile. "I enjoyed (the match v Hibs]. Barcelona played fantastically well. They are a joy to watch when they are in full flow."

The trouble is, were they even in full flow against Hibs? Probably not, agreed Levein. "It is a warning for us," he continued. "We will have to work extremely hard. And we will need to keep possession of the ball when we get it or we will be chasing our tails for 90 minutes."

This will certainly be true if they allow Messi to see as much of the ball as against Hibs, though Levein is reluctant to make any special plans to deal with the striker.

Deploying two men against Messi, he reasoned, would simply free up space for other players to exploit. With Messi off the park on Thursday, Barcelona still managed to strike twice, and might have had more.

"If the team were only about that one player it would have to be a consideration (double-marking]," he said. "But there are so many players in the team that have that little bit of magic dust that can win a game.

"I don't have enough players to put two on them all. We want to get something out of the game as well, not just fitness. We want to keep possession, and that is something we have stressed. They are a good pressing team. They press the ball higher up the pitch than they did last year."

The fact Messi is with Barcelona this time around – he missed last year's Scottish tour games due to international commitments – led Levein to brand them even more dangerous. "His presence alone gives them that little bit extra," he said.

He sympathised with Hibs, pointing out that they were playing in an environment – Murrayfield – than was more alien to them than even Barcelona. "One thing that we will have as an advantage over Hibs is that we are at home," said Levein. "It was like an away game for Hibs. Our pitch is a bit tighter, the players are more comfortable in their surroundings."

Levein has lost Noel Hunt and Barry Robson from the team which performed so creditably against Barcelona last July, but he is confident he now has a more balanced side. His options, for one thing, have improved dramatically, with Francesco Sandaza, Warren Feeney, Andis Shala and Jon Daly all vying for places up front today. Last July, Levein recalled with something approaching a shudder, he only had one fit striker available to him – Hunt .

"We are progressing well," he said, when asked to judge his team. "But until we start the season we never know. One of the worst seasons I ever had was at Hearts, after we had a really good pre-season and won a load of matches.

"Pre-season does not give any indication of how the season is going to go. But I think the players we have this season now have a year of experience under their belts, the younger ones in particular. They have played alongside each other for a while and I think we have added a bit of quality to the team. I feel that the club is moving in the right direction and the players we have brought in will impact instantly."

Scott Robertson, the former Dundee captain, will make his home debut this afternoon, with Levin certain about eight of his 11 starters. He appeared far from crushed by anxiety at the task ahead. After all, Barcelona are the ones with the catching up to do.