Only 13 defeats in 41 games says to me we can more than hold our own against the Spanish sides. I suspect our record in Italy is worse, infact most English clubs have awful records over there....well until the last 5 years or so.
Maybe Looking at the individuals results, the stats definitely don't tell the full story: Lost to Bilbao in 56/57 but still won on aggregate Lost to Barca in 83/84 but still won on aggregate Drew H&A with Barca in 98/99 but still got out of a tough group then won the trophy Drew at Valencia in 99/00 in the last group game and still won the group Lost to Deportivo in 02/03 in the last group game and still won the group Drew H&A with Villareal in 08/09 but still won the group Drew with Valencia in 10/11 in the last group game and still won the group In most of the games that matter we've held our own. Knocked Barca out in 84, 91, 99 and 08, got knocked out in 95, 09 and 11. Real are the only Spanish side to have an edge over us in actual outcomes relative to the competition.
Actually not. W17, D5, L13. We probably have one of the best records of English clubs against Italian teams. http://www.eurocupshistory.com/match/history_land/275-ITA/manchester_united_against_italian_clubs
Quite surprised at that. ITV commentators like to rmind us how bad english clubs do in italy.... even when no football match is being played.
Only fair to point out that in the results that count it's much more even: Italian clubs knocked us out in 57/58, 68/69, 76/77, 83/84, 04/05 and 06/07. We knocked Italian clubs out in: 98/99 (x2), 99/00, 06/07, 07/08, 08/09 and 09/10. Lazio also beat us in the Super Cup in 99. Not really fair to count the 57/58 one for obvious reasons. But until six years ago we were a way behind, and 99 was the first time we ever knocked an Italian club out of European competition.
