I'm still not hasty to determine who will make it to the next round considering that these two teams will perform better than what we can see from their play in the domestic league.
This match is highly unpredictable, which is why there has been much speculation about the possible outcome. The two teams are in their primes, playing in their respective domestic leagues; one team prevailing over the other at this point will be extremely difficult, and watching an unpredictable match will be extremely entertaining. This match is worth watching in the Europa League semi-finals or finals, and I always wish it came later in the Europa league.
No wonder there is so much speculation in favor of Barcelona or Manchester United. This is seen from many factors, the speculation is interesting because it is based on their development in the game in the domestic league. They still have a lot to fix, of course that's what they have to pay attention to. I agree with you that a big game like this in the Europa League is more appropriate to be in a more conical round like the semi-finals for example. However, the results of the brand lottery must meet and carry out a match in this round.