Barcelona: Cristiano Ronaldo missed an early penalty on Wednesday, and Manchester United missed its chance to leave Barcelona with an important away goal after a 0-0 draw in the Champions League.
Ronaldo's penalty, which went wide in the second minute of the first leg of the semifinals, could haunt the two-time champions when they host Barcelona in the second leg next Tuesday at Old Trafford.
United was awarded the penalty at the Camp Nou when defender Gabriel Milito handled Ronaldo's header inside the area. But Ronaldo side-footed the ball wide with Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes going the other way.
Barcelona, looking for its second European Cup in three seasons, controlled play after the penalty, and both Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o had chances against the English leaders.
Eto'o put a shot into the side-netting in the 53rd after Andres Iniesta had back-heeled Messi's pass to him on the right. Iniesta had a penalty appeal waved off in the 71st.
United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar got his hands up in the 83rd to deny Thierry Henry's hard shot from the left, and the Netherlands goalkeeper stopped Henry's curling free kick from outside the area two minutes from the end.
Man United has won just once in 17 matches in Spain.
Paul Scholes made his 100th appearance in the competition alongside Michael Carrick, who displaced England midfielder Owen Hargreaves at right back. Wes Brown partnered Rio Ferdinand at center back after Nemanja Vidic was left out of the lineup with a stomach problem.
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Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard started Eto'o in front of a five-man midfield to stall United's attacking trio of Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo.
Barcelona was without suspended captain Carles Puyol, and striker Thierry Henry joined teenage forwards Bojan Krkic and Giovani Dos Santos on the bench.
Ronaldo's free kick from outside the area deflected out for the corner. That led to the play Milito handled for the penalty.
Eto'o moved Barcelona into Man United's area for the first time in the eighth minute but Tevez hustled back to kick the ball away after initially losing it.
Deco, playing for the first time in two months, had trouble adjusting early and could only watch in the 11th when Iniesta's centering pass from the left rolled clear behind him.
Barcelona, determined to avoid a second consecutive season without a trophy, had most of the possession in the first half.
Ronaldo was United's one consistent threat and could have had another penalty in the 29th but referee Massimo Busacca waved to play on.
The Portugal winger had intercepted Iniesta's cross-field pass to move into the area but was knocked to the ground.
Krkic, the Champions League's only scorer born in the 1990s, came on for Messi in the 62nd.
Man United continued to frustrate Barcelona and the hosts couldn't find any space at the edge of the area for their slick passes to materialize. At the other end, the Red Devils looked helpless in possession, and Carrick sent a long ball out of play in the 70th.
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