DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick is making his return to American Flat Track as part of the Black Hills Harley-Davidson/ProBEAM Racing Team.

Eslick will compete at the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Texas Half-Mile presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys this Saturday aboard the No. 64 Black Hills Harley-Davidson/ProBEAM Harley-Davidson XG750R in the AFT Production Twins class.

Eslick, whose road racing achievements have him ranked third on the all-time Daytona 200 wins list, has consistently made appearances within professional flat track throughout the years. Eslick has a history of success on Harley-Davidson machinery, producing results on both an XR750 and XR1200 in years past.

“I was already signed up to ride for Terry Rymer in the AFT Singles class at Texas,” said Eslick. “When I got the call about riding the XG750 in the Production Twins class, I knew I couldn’t say no to that deal, so I jumped all over the opportunity. I am thankful to Terry Rymer and Terry Vance for putting it all together. Texas is the closest race to where I’m from; I am very excited to go down there and represent on the XG for a hometown crowd.”

“I am very excited to announce our intent to race AFT Production Twins with Danny on board,” said Terry Rymer, owner of Black Hills Harley-Davidson. “Through some good luck and timing, I was able to get ahold of Terry Vance at Vance & Hines and we got the bike together. With a quality Harley-Davidson machine and a proven rider like Danny Eslick, I hope that this inspires other dealers across the country to get back into professional flat track.”

Cale Makar became only the fifth rookie in the NHL's expansion era (1967-68) to score a goal in his NHL debut during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The 20-year-old defenseman gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-0 edge in Game 3 of their series with the Calgary Flames when he slipped a shot through goalie Mike Smith.

Quickly skating over to congratulate Makar was Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. Celebrating in the crowd were Makar's parents.

"It's pretty weird. Pretty special, though," Makar said of his first game. "Obviously, it's a cool moment."

Makar's father, Gary, was in disbelief at his son's goal.

"It's a total surreal, pinch-me moment all wrapped into one. It's insane,'' he told The Associated Press. "Couldn't be more excited.''

Cale Makar was only 48 hours removed from playing for UMass as a sophomore in the men's hockey national championship game in Buffalo, where his Minutemen lost to Minnesota Duluth. He signed his entry-level contract Sunday before joining the Avalanche for his first practice in Denver on Monday morning.

Wearing No. 8, Makar jumped on the ice early in the first period Monday night and was given a loud cheer. Each time he did anything, the crowd cheered.

"You just shake your head,'' his father said. "The crowd, every time he gets the puck, guys, he's just a kid. No expectations."

Makar's whirlwind weekend also included winning the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player Friday night. He is only the second player to make his debut in the Stanley Cup playoffs the same year he won college hockey's highest individual honor.

Tony Hrkac appeared in three playoff games with the St. Louis Blues in 1987 after winning both a national championship and the Hobey Baker a week prior. He, however, did not hit the score sheet in any of those three games.

Lauri Korpikoski is the last player to score a goal in his NHL debut during the playoffs, doing so with the New York Rangers in 2008.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A nasty fight between Alex Ovechkin and Andrei Svechnikov, multiple offensive outbursts and a dazzling rookie debut highlighted Monday night's action in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Here's a recap of last night's action (check out replays of every playoff game on ESPN+), and what to watch for tonight, in today's edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily:

Jump ahead: Last night's games | Three Stars
Play of the night | Today's games | Social post of the day

About last night...

Game 3: Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Boston Bruins 2 (Maple Leafs lead series 2-1). Being without suspended Nazem Kadri for the rest of this series will challenge the Maple Leafs' depth, but Toronto passed the test in Game 3. Auston Matthews scored after going pointless in the first two games, while Andreas Johnsson netted the winner. The Bruins lacked energy early, fumbled some costly turnovers, and now trail in the series for the second time. This one is poised to be a slugfest.

Game 3: Carolina Hurricanes 5, Washington Capitals 0 (Capitals lead the series 2-1). Carolina -- down two forwards for most of the night -- rallied with a statement game. Dougie Hamilton, who began his career in Boston, called the sellout crowd at PNC Arena one of the loudest buildings he's ever been in. The Canes felt they played their game, and when they're on, they're a tough team to beat. The Caps, meanwhile, have to look inward after their worst playoff game in two years. Washington mustered just eight shots over the last two periods.

Game 3: Nashville Predators 3, Dallas Stars 2 (Predators lead the series 2-1). The Predators survived a late push by the Stars thanks to a goal by new addition Mikael Granlund. Unfortunately, GM David Poile's two other big trade deadline acquisitions -- Brian Boyle and Wayne Simmonds -- haven't contributed much, and are out with injuries. Stars goalie Ben Bishop showed he was human, but just barely. It was the first time since Feb. 4 that the Dallas Stars goalie allowed more than two goals.

Game 3: Colorado Avalanche 6, Calgary Flames 2 (Avalanche lead the series 2-1). One player can't change the complexion of a series, but he certainly can add a boost. That's what recently signed rookie defenseman Cale Makar did when he was plugged into Colorado's lineup after skating in the NCAA national championship game Saturday -- and he scored. The Avalanche pestered Calgary goalie Mike Smith all night; could his Cinderella playoffs be over already? The Flames needed more from their usually high-powered offense. The defensive deficiencies barely gave them a chance, though.

Three Stars

1. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche

Here was Makar's weekend: The 20-year-old wins the Hobey Baker Award on Friday, plays in the national championship game on Saturday, hustles to get to Colorado on Sunday, and plays in a playoff game on Monday. And then he scored. What a moment.

Hey NHL, meet Cale Makar.

You're going to love him! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/XgOMJljcpj

- x- Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 16, 2019

2. Pekka Rinne, G, Nashville Predators

The Stars turned it up and totally dominated in the second and third periods. The Predators held on to the win largely because of Rinne, who made 42 stops and earned his 45th career playoff victory, tying Tony Esposito for 24th on the NHL's all-time list.

3. Warren Foegele, LW, Carolina Hurricanes

With a shoutout to Dougie Hamilton, who scored his first playoff goal since 2014, the star of Carolina's offensive explosion on Monday night was Foegele, the playoff rookie who had two goals and an assist.

Play of the night

Mitch Marner is going to earn that next contract that Brad Marchand believes he richly deserves. Check out these blocked shots to seal the win for Toronto; and better yet, check out his teammates' reaction after.

KIDS: I'm not sure what's more impressive:

One of the top players in the league in Marner laying out to block this shot...or the reaction of his teammates afterwards. Gives me chills and makes me miss playing hockey. pic.twitter.com/w9MGZRMNh6

- Topher Scott (@TopherScott_) April 16, 2019

Dud of the night

Alex Ovechkin knocked out 19-year-old countryman Andrei Svechnikov with three nasty rights in the first period, and nobody liked the way it ended, with Svechnikov hitting his head on the ice and having to be helped off by the trainers. Svechnikov did not return, and the team did not have an update postgame.

Ovechkin's take on the fight: "First of all, I hope he's OK. Yeah. I'm not a big fighter and he's the same. He asked me to fight and said, 'Let's go.' I hope he's OK. You don't want to see a guy get hurt or something. And you just go a different way. We got maybe a little bit frustrated and too confident. We just have to forget about it and move forward."

Canes coach Rod Brind'Amour's take: "Svech means a lot to us, a young kid, he just turned 19. So he has a special bond, I think, with our group and me too. So, when you see that, it makes you sick. I'm still sick to my stomach about it. It's tough because I just heard Ovi talk about it. He said our guy challenged him. So, if that's the case it's a little different. But if you watch the video because I've got to watch it, he slashes him twice, Ovi, whack, whack and then Svech gives him back and then I don't know if there's words exchanged, but one guy's gloves come off way first and that's Ovi's. That not our guy's. So, it's a little bit frustrating because he got hurt. It's his first fight. He's played 90 games. He's never fought in his life, and I'm pretty sure Ovi knew that. So, that stuff bothers me."

What's on the schedule

Tampa Bay Lightning at Columbus Blue Jackets, Game 4, 7 p.m. ET. Jackets lead the series 3-0.

On the precipice of one of the greatest collapses in hockey history, the Lightning are in desperation mode. Good news: Leading scorer Nikita Kucherov returns from his one game suspension. Not-so-good news: Top defenseman Victor Hedman is "doubtful," according to coach Jon Cooper. The Blue Jackets can pull off a surreal upset if Sergei Bobrovsky continues to outplay Andrei Vasilevskiy (Bobrovsky has allowed just two goals in his past eight periods), special teams continue to shine, and the rentals keep playing like they all deserve multiyear, multimillion-dollar new contracts (which, at this point, they do).

New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 4, 7:30 p.m. ET. Islanders lead the series 3-0.

If it wasn't for the Tampa Bay meltdown, the hockey world would be fixated on the incredible rise of the New York Islanders. Frankly, the Isles are one of the least talented teams in this year's playoffs on paper, but they are grinding it out and have frustrated Pittsburgh's high-powered (and star-studded) offense. This isn't all Matt Murray's fault. The Penguins' compete level just hasn't been there. Sidney Crosby and wingman Jake Guentzel have both been held pointless through the first three games.

Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues, Game 4, 9:30 p.m. ET. Blues lead the series 2-1.

When Patrik Laine gets hot, he's one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the league. The Finn is hot, alright. After scoring only one goal in his final 19 regular-season games, the 20-year-old has scored in all three playoff games versus the Blues. Have the Jets finally cracked Jordan Binnington, who allowed more than four goals for the first time in his young playoff career? St. Louis captain Alex Pietrangelo insists there's no panic after dropping Game 3. Just play like they did for the second half of the season -- and the first two games of this series -- and they'll be fine.

San Jose Sharks at Vegas Golden Knights, Game 4, 10:30 p.m. ET. Knights lead the series 2-1.

This one is -- predictably -- getting feisty. Can the Sharks get back into it? Of course, but they'll need to stop letting goals in during the opening minutes of a period. They'll also need to amp up the offense, since the Sharks can no longer count on Martin Jones (a troubling season, and now a .849 save percentage through three playoff games). Vegas' second line -- aka the "new guys" line, featuring Mark Stone, Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty -- was spectacular in Game 3. Stone and Stastny became just the third set of teammates over the past 30 NHL playoffs to each record five points in the same game.

Social post of the day

Hockey players, they're just like us!

Chris Wagner, @pastrnak96, @CMcAvoy44 and the @NHLBruins were having a tough time getting set up for #GameofThrones last night. �� #StanleyCup Confidential pic.twitter.com/FiESGrhMRq

- NHL (@NHL) April 15, 2019

Quotable

Joe Thornton might be a future Hall of Fame player, but this is a Hall of Fame quote from Ryan Reaves:

Oh boy. Ryan Reaves on Thornton's reply to the Nosek hit: "I've got a buddy with a grandpa who's going through the same thing. He can't see very well because he's getting old. Needs glasses. If he gets suspended he's going to have a hard time seeing from the press box" #VegasBorn

- Justin Emerson (@J15Emerson) April 15, 2019

MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola said Manchester City's next three matches will go a long way to defining their season as they chase an unprecedented Quadruple.

City face Tottenham on Wednesday night in the Champions League trailing 1-0 from the first leg followed by a Premier League double-header against Spurs again and Manchester United.

Anything but a victory on Wednesday would see them eliminated from Europe at the quarterfinal stage for the second year running -- and Guardiola said he believes only maximum points in the Premier League will be enough to secure the title.

"If we don't win these games we will be out of two competitions," he told a news conference. "They are absolute finals for us, I've had that feeling from weeks ago.

"Every time in a competition [they are] when you arrive in the latter stages. We don't have a 12-point [gap] like last season -- in this period, we were already champions.

"But this season we have an incredible opponent like Liverpool in the Premier League. What they have done so far they deserve. Normally with 84 or 86 points you are champion -- they have 85. Both teams deserve to be champions but just one team is going to get it."

Spurs' first leg victory was helped by a noisy and intense atmosphere from the fans at their new 62,000-capacity stadium, and Guardiola said he needs the fans to generate a similar atmosphere if they are to make the semifinals.

"Many times I played in the semifinals and quarterfinals, and every time I played away the atmosphere was really incredible," he added. "They support their local teams.

"We need it -- really, we need it. I want to see that they want to get to the semifinals. Not the players, the players I have no doubt about after 20 months. I want to see my fans, our fans, that they really want the semifinals. I want to see that tomorrow."

City remain in the hunt for the Quadruple and while Guardiola has played down the possibility, defender John Stones said the players will do everything to win all four trophies.

"I don't think a lot of things are impossible, that is the mindset of different people and if you don't dream big then you are not going to get anywhere near it," he said. "It comes from within everyone -- we have this belief and ambition to do it.

"Like last season, 100 points never done before. We won the league quite early and still had the belief to go on and do it."

Oleksandr Zinchenko is the only player ruled out although Fernandinho only returned to training on Monday and is not yet at full intensity after being ruled out of Sunday's win at Crystal Palace.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are definitely without Harry Kane but Guardiola said they will remain dangerous opponents.

"[They will be] the same strong team they had three years ago, last season and this. [They are an] incredible top team."

Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Arsenal will be given the full support of UEFA in order to secure a visa for the Armenia international to play in the Europa League final in Azerbaijan next month if the club reach the May 28 showpiece in Baku, sources have told ESPN FC.

Arsenal face Napoli in Italy on Thursday on the brink of a semifinal encounter with either Villarreal or Valencia having secured a 2-0 quarterfinal first-leg victory over Carlo Ancelotti's team at the Emirates last Thursday.

But if Arsenal reach the final, they must overcome the issue of Mkhitaryan playing in Azerbaijan -- a country which currently prohibits the entry of citizens from Armenia due to an ongoing territorial conflict over the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Mkhitaryan was omitted from Arsenal's squad for the Europa League group game against Qarabag last October for unspecified reasons, prompting Qarabag coach Gurban Gurbanov to claim that the London club were "afraid" of travelling to Azerbaijan with the Armenia captain in the team.

The former Manchester United midfielder also sat out a trip to Azerbaijan in 2015, when Borussia Dortmund chose to leave him in Germany for a clash against Gabala due to "security reasons," despite assurances from Azerbaijan's authorities that a visa would be granted to Mkhitaryan.

Armenia, however, sent athletes to compete in the 2015 European Games in Baku due to a visa exemption for sporting participants, and sources have told ESPN FC that UEFA are confident that Mkhitaryan and Arsenal would be successful in any bid to secure an Azerbaijan visa.

European football's governing body has insisted that all efforts will be made to ensure that the process runs smoothly.

A UEFA spokesperson told ESPN FC: "It is a standard procedure for UEFA to send letters of support to associations, clubs or embassies in order to obtain visas for players and allow them to play in UEFA competition matches."

Last week's first legs in the four Champions League quarterfinals offered up a contrast of games that all entertained in their own way and, crucially, kept the ties alive into their respective second legs.

Can Manchester United come back to upset Barcelona? Will Cristiano Ronaldo deliver yet more heroics for Juventus? Can Liverpool hang on at Porto? Will Manchester City thrash Tottenham? We get you ready for the second legs.

Jump to: Juve-Ajax | Porto-Liverpool | Man City vs. Tottenham

Barcelona vs. Manchester United

AGGREGATE SCORE: Barcelona lead 1-0
WHEN: Tuesday 4/16, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FIRST LEG: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got creative with his tactics in an effort to thwart and surprise Barcelona, but they weren't flummoxed in the least by his back three. Even a subpar Barca -- who admittedly got a bit fortunate with the Luke Shaw own goal -- managed to stop United from enjoying a single shot on target.

WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE RETURN LEG: Barcelona will be rested, as Ernesto Valverde left out nine regulars against Huesca, while the minutes are adding up for Manchester United, as Solskjaer himself admitted after the poor performance against West Ham. Barcelona will have the luxury of being able to pick their spots (and keep the ball) and be patient.

WHAT UNITED HAVE TO DO TO QUALIFY FOR THE SEMIFINAL: Score, obviously, and you can gamble a little because away goals count double, meaning a 2-1 win would see United through. They did a good job of disrupting Barcelona's midfield at Old Trafford, but failed to turn that into clear-cut chances. With Nemanja Matic likely to return, they may be better served sitting and trying to hit on the counter or via set pieces.

WHAT BARCELONA HAVE TO DO TO QUALIFY FOR THE SEMIFINAL: Essentially, manage the game. If they can limit Paul Pogba's creative impetus and exploit what is likely to be an unfamiliar defensive system for United, given Luke Shaw's absence, they will be halfway there. If, as expected, United sit off them a bit, they will need to do a much better job at keeping possession than they did at Old Trafford.

BATTLE TO WATCH: Luis Suarez vs. Chris Smalling/Victor Lindelof. Valverde's Barca is more pragmatic than past versions. They know when they need to be patient and they're happy to rely on experience and guile. Suarez has plenty of both. You may not see him for long stretches and suddenly he's in your face.

WILD CARD/STORYBOOK SCENARIO: Many United fans would love to see Alexis Sanchez and his wages ride out of town. What better way than to come off the bench and score the key goal against his old club after six weeks on the sidelines?

FINAL PREDICTION: Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United (Barcelona advance 3-0 on aggregate). There is just too much of an imbalance here in terms of form, quality and experience.

Juventus vs. Ajax

AGGREGATE SCORE: 1-1
WHEN: Tuesday 4/16, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FIRST LEG: The Ajax performance we saw against Real Madrid was anything but a fluke. Juventus showed them plenty of respect and Ajax still found a way through, grabbing an equalizer early in the second half and controlling the match for a good stretch after the break, until Max Allegri settled things down again.

WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE RETURN LEG: Juventus' away goal means they advance with a 0-0 draw on the night and that gives Allegri the option of inviting Ajax forward and looking to hit on the break. It also gives Juventus the luxury of congesting the middle and trying to control the tempo, a task made easier by the likely absence of standout Ajax midfielder Frenkie De Jong, who limped off with a muscular injury at the weekend.

WHAT AJAX HAVE TO DO TO REACH THE SEMIFINAL: Exploit the wide areas and deliver crosses into the box, particularly if Joao Cancelo (wonderful going forward, less so defensively) is playing on the right. If you allow Juve to congest the middle and try to play through them, especially without De Jong, it can turn into a long night.

WHAT JUVENTUS HAVE TO DO TO REACH THE SEMIFINAL: Allegri can approach this many different ways, but a key is not to leave Ronaldo isolated. By now we've learned he's at his best when you commit runners around him, whether it's Federico Bernardeschi or Douglas Costa, along with Mario Mandzukic. Go for the jugular and test Matthijs de Ligt and Daley Blind.

BATTLE TO WATCH: Noussair Mazraoui vs. Juve's wing. He can be, and has been, devastating down the right flank. Whether it's Ronaldo, Blaise Matuidi or, behind them, Alex Sandro, it's critical that he be contained.

WILD CARD/STORYBOOK SCENARIO: Moise Kean isn't expected to start, although perhaps he should. The teenager has notched six goals in his past six appearances for club and country, plus he has the legs and intelligence to shock Ajax's back line if the visitors get a little top-heavy.

FINAL PREDICTION: Juventus 2-0 Ajax (3-1 aggregate). De Jong's absence is simply a game-changer, and Allegri has a range of permutations and approaches that Ajax will struggle to match.

Porto vs. Liverpool

AGGREGATE SCORE: Liverpool lead 2-0
WHEN: Wednesday 4/17, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FIRST LEG: Porto never quite go away. While Liverpool scored two first-half goals and saw out the tie, the visitors fought back gamely and came close to scoring an away goal, despite key absentee Hector Herrera. Liverpool also aren't the type of side who are at their best when they manage leads.

WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE RETURN LEG: Porto attack with speed and precision, so it will be tempting for Liverpool to unleash their vaunted front three on the counter. But Jurgen Klopp has talked repeatedly about the threat they pose, so we should see more of a toe-to-toe contest.

WHAT LIVERPOOL HAVE TO DO TO REACH THE SEMIFINAL: If they find the net at any point, Porto would need to score four times to advance, and you simply can't see that happening. That's something Liverpool can't lose sight of. Be aggressive in midfield, push the full-backs up and remember who you are.

WHAT PORTO HAVE TO DO TO REACH THE SEMIFINAL: Yacine Brahimi was a problem for Liverpool in the second half, and with Herrera back to stiffen up the middle of the park, Porto can dictate play. Moussa Marega will need to have his finishing boots on: Alisson twice denied him one-on-one at Anfield.

BATTLE TO WATCH: Virgil van Dijk vs. Pepe. We'll likely only see this one on set-pieces but it will be a proper, old-school clash between two defensive heavyweights. Few players are as disruptive as Pepe; few are as commanding as van Dijk.

WILD CARD/STORYBOOK SCENARIO: Iker Casillas was winning Champions Leagues when Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were still in elementary school. Porto can't afford to concede and it would be Disneyesque if "San Iker" preserves a victory.

FINAL PREDICTION: Porto 2-2 Liverpool (Liverpool advance 4-2 on aggregate). Porto can score when they need to, but Liverpool have tons of firepower and this has the hallmarks of an open game.

Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur

AGGREGATE SCORE: Tottenham lead 1-0
WHEN: Wednesday 4/17 , 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FIRST LEG: Pep Guardiola's tinkering -- leaving out Leroy Sane and Kevin De Bruyne for Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan -- probably did him no favors, and when City go the unfamiliar route of focusing on defending, they're not very good at it. (Witness the time and space allowed Christian Eriksen for Spurs' goal.) Heung-Min Son is a big-game player whose hunger is relentless and who poses matchup problems.

WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE RETURN LEG: Tottenham will be without Kane, and although their record in his absence is freakishly good, it's obviously a huge loss. Expect them to defend their aggregate lead and try to exploit the counter, while City try to conjure up one of those possession-heavy, old-school Guardiola performances.

WHAT TOTTENHAM HAVE TO DO TO REACH THE SEMIFINAL: Nicking a goal would force City to score three, which is a tall order even for them. Lucas Moura and Son have the quickness and athleticism to provide a first line of high pressing and a threat behind against City's back four.

WHAT CITY HAVE TO DO TO REACH THE SEMIFINAL: Stick to what they're good at: keeping possession, committing men forward and going vertical with intelligence and creativity, which they can do since Bernardo Silva is fit again, and De Bruyne, hopefully, won't be on the bench.

BATTLE TO WATCH: Sergio Aguero vs. Tottenham's defense. When the supply of chances is good, he's likely to score. When it's not, he can struggle to create his own. If Tottenham can stifle him, it may lead City to force things, either through individuals or shots from distance.

WILD CARD/STORYBOOK SCENARIO: He turned 34 last month and has scored all of two league goals in more than a season and a half at Tottenham, but Fernando Llorente is intelligent, an aerial threat and a hugely underrated passer. Imagine him coming off the bench to score the goal that sends Tottenham through.

FINAL PREDICTION: Manchester City 3-1 Tottenham (Man City advance 3-2 on aggregate). City are the better team, so you have to pick them to advance. But I'm not confident here. At all.

It's both startling and somewhat unfair, the degree to which Barcelona are treading along a knife edge at the Camp Nou. If they eliminate Manchester United from the Champions League, whether by hook, crook, a goalless draw or a champagne fest of scintillating, inspired football, they will be about three good performances away from their third trophy Treble.

That their opponents Tuesday happen to be Manchester United -- led now by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, their mythical added-time goal scorer from 1999 -- on a date that's extremely close to the 20th anniversary of United becoming the only English team to join that small, fabled list of Treble winners is just one of football's quixotic little twists of humour.

The fact that Tuesday begins with the scoreline 1-0 to Barcelona, with Solskjaer on the Camp Nou bench, as time ticks away, as it was when 90 minutes were up against Bayern in 1999, is one more delicious twist. But United aren't Barcelona's only rivals: History and destiny are, too. Those three hypothetical "good performances" that, in my opinion, could win them the Treble would need to be a big, firm win in the semifinal first leg, a winning performance in the showpiece UEFA final on June 1 at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid and, in between, a display with enough muscle and flair to defeat Valencia in the Copa del Rey Final next month.

They're close to their first trophy already. Barcelona can count victory in La Liga as being right there, the finish line a mere formality. Routine, attentive work will get them over that line, and they'll win their 26th Spanish championship.

Valencia, in my opinion, have a starting XI, a squad and a coach capable of ruining this Blaugrana dream in the Copa del Rey. Because while the Catalans, current Copa holders and winners of four in a row, will enter the Benito Villamarin final on May 25 as favourites, Marcelino's side is full of talent, pace and the odd warrior. Potentially, they are a gremlin in Barcelona's machine.

It all means that while there are oodles of hurdles left, starting with Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba & Co. on Tuesday, the Spanish champions are in a tantalisingly beautiful position.

The Treble must consist of a club winning its premier domestic league, the principal domestic cup competition and the Champions League. No exceptions, no asterisks: This is the pinnacle of continental football.

Only seven clubs have managed it. In chronological order: Celtic, Ajax, PSV, Manchester United, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich. Only Barca have done it twice, meaning that three men -- Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and Lionel Messi -- stand to become the only footballers in history to complete a hat trick of this mythical and viciously difficult threesome.

What I mean when I say it's all on a knife edge is this: It wouldn't take much to ruin this mission. Should Solskjaer produce another against-the-odds victory to eliminate his Camp Nou opponent despite trailing by a goal, then notwithstanding the fact that three Barca players already have more Trebles than anyone other than a handful of their own former teammates, something of a cold glare will be turned on the Barca era since 2015.

It's unfair, but it's true. The fact that Barcelona have performed poorly at this stage of the Champions League in each of the past three seasons, losing the past three quarterfinals by an aggregate margin of 10-6 and failing to score in four of the six games, has left a stain on their recent Spanish dominance. It's an invisible stain if you're the guy who has had to coach them to repeat Liga and Copa victories. It's invisible to guys such as Messi, Ivan Rakitic, Pique, Busquets and Jordi Alba as well, players who know precisely how hard they've had to work to rack up eight trophy wins since they sealed their last Treble four years ago in Berlin.

How many clubs would sell their soul for eight trophies in four years? Your club? Maybe even Man United right now?

Turn that stat on its head, and most players would swap a full head of hair and all their image rights if only they could win four trophies in eight years. But for those critics who are now of the mindset that greatness lies only in winning the Champions League or retaining the "Cup With the Big Ears" (as the European Cup is often nicknamed), Barcelona's stain is more indelible than invisible. The power of conquering the continent has grown so alluring to sponsors, advertisers and club marketers -- not to mention so lucrative when you factor in the Champions League revenue, the prize money and your share of the television pot -- that those who say "winning the domestic league is more important" have dwindled down to hardcore supporters and players alike: the true traditionalists.

Clearly, the majority of Barcelona's squad still think that way. They believe that the 24-karat test of grit, resourcefulness, professionalism, resilience and, in their eyes, "greatness" lies in repeatedly dominating your own nation. Hence the choke grip in which they've held La Liga for most of the past 14 years.

But if United pop up with a surprise this week and eliminate Ernesto Valverde's guys, or if whoever lies in wait in the semifinals prevents Barcelona from reaching the Wanda Metropolitano on June 1, then I'm guessing a huge section of the Camp Nou fan base and the media who hawkishly cover every waking second of every Barca day would judge the four years since the defeat of Juve in Berlin to have been "a disappointment."

Whether fair or unfair, correct or incorrect, credible or incredible, it wouldn't matter to some. Not only is the Champions League regarded by many modern fans as the be-all-and-end-all, but also the concept of a third Treble, which is genuinely within reach, is so intoxicating that ending the season with anything less would be enormously deflating.

I don't see it quite that way.

What Barcelona have managed since the Treble win in 2015 -- given the trauma of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Neymar all departing, not to mention the stress of how to properly replace such legends, and the fact that their truly great players stubbornly keep on aging -- has been quite remarkable. It's history book stuff. But the fact remains that from the point when Messi promised that he'd do his absolute utmost to return that "beautiful, historic trophy" to the Camp Nou, when he assumed the captaincy last summer until now, Barca have put themselves within three or four really good performances of not only making history but also becoming a statistic as demolishing to all competition as Real Madrid's European Cup-winning record is in its own way.

This tie, for as much as United have players who can threaten and for as much as Barcelona aren't on their most fluent, most dangerous form right now, isn't the moment to look history and destiny in the eye and flinch. This is the occasion to show that, with domestic superiority once more attained, the lessons of the past three seasons truly have been learned.