But despite the abundant similarities between two of the continent’s most titanic footballing institutions, their old romantic names also evoke wildly divergent emotions within the popular imaginations of their respective countries.
As time-served Reds well know, when you’re the leading domestic exponents of your nation’s most beloved sport, the flipside is a barrel-load of contempt from those who don’t pledge allegiance to the badge. Juventus’s record 34 Serie A titles mean that, like United, they are loved and loathed in equal measure. But while detractors grudgingly respect our history of promoting youth and daring, attacking football, Juve’s enemies would offer little to recommend them.