This is how Manchester United met FC Barcelona in forward. They didn’t let Barcelona to make game comfortably but also didn’t press so aggressively. They didn’t press to take the ball immediately. They pressed to make things harder for Barcelona and they pressed with balance. They didn’t use any kind of intensity in any space. So to break this pressing, Barcelona needed to use intensity in a space or one player had to get the whip hand of against an opponent’s player.
Manchester United’s centre forward met both Barcelona stoppers. He didn’t press any of them aggressively but also didn’t let them to go forward comfortably. Stoppers had time and space to do something with the ball but they couldn’t use this time and space effectively. Because their teammates were not free so they couldn’t pass the ball forward. And before stoppers go forward with the ball, centre forward covered them.
In cases like this, stoppers might able to use long balls and escape forward players to opponent’s defense line’s behind. But against Manchester United they couldn’t do that because Manchester United’s defense line didn’t support pressing so high. And they didn’t need to because they pressed against Barcelona to be sure that Barcelona can’t make game comfortably. And with their pressing, they just didn’t let Barcelona to make game with high tempo.
Manchester United wingers took position in half-spaces and a little bit closer to midfield. So they cared to not let full backs to be free more than pressing to stoppers.
If Manchester United wingers would want to press stoppers more, this time Barcelona full backs could be effective. because now Barcelona stoppers would have a pass option. They could pass to full backs and with full backs Barcelona could receive the ball to midfield. Because Manchester United didn’t press stoppers too aggressively, stoppers would have enough time and space to pass to full backs.
Midfielders directly matched with Barcelona midfielders 1 by 1. All of them took position Barcelona midfielders’ behind (like in this picture). So Barcelona’s midfielders could take the ball from stoppers but couldn’t be effective.
Defense line didn’t take position closer to midfield or their own penalty box. They followed opponent’s player which they matched directly. But also if a winger went centre to take the ball, sometimes full backs let him to take the ball and this time, Barcelona had one extra pass option in center.