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Pep Guardiola has witnessed hostility and passion in some of the world’s greatest soccer citadels but he was still in awe of Old Trafford at its raucous, ear-splitting best.

There has been a lot debated about a singing section at United’s HQ to revive the days of old when raising the roof inside the famous stadium was about decibel levels and not attaching another tier onto a stand.

There have been acoustic experts brought in to study the sound energy generated in the ground. There has been the bizarre story that an architect was employed to offer a solution and came up with the theory that a ‘sound cloud’ could be built above Old Trafford to keep the noise in.

Another idea, not on April Fool’s day I hasten to add, was to cram ticketless fans into a village in the roof!

The simple fact of the matter that none of those ideas from the do-able to the downright crackpot are required when United fans get to grips with a major European night. No need for sound engineers when the all-conquering champions of the world come to town.

Guardiola was Barcelona’s manager when he met United in Rome in the 2009 Champions League final. The Olympic Stadium in the Italian capital as a crackling atmosphere that had your hairs standing on the back of your neck.

He was at Wembley as a Barca player for the 1992 European Cup final against Sampdoria when the old stadium had one of its unforgettable nights of noise.

He was in the new Wembley in 2011 when his Barcelona giants met United in the Champions League final again and the venue and there was a cacophonous level in the London venue.

His old home at the Nou Camp is a stadium that can leave you awestruck when it is bouncing. His new HQ at the Allianz Arena in Munich is a stadium that creates an intimidating wall of sound.

But even so Guardiola was moved enough by the United fans on Tuesday night to reserve special praise.

“I have to say congratulations to the supporters of Manchester United for the atmosphere. It was awesome. To see how they supported their team was great,” he said.

“I hope the fans in Munich will push us like United supporters did for them.”

On a night when the din is so intense it is hard to imagine how the likes of West Brom, Everton, Newcastle, Spurs and Swansea have all won in front of the Stretford End. Even Liverpool and City’s visits didn’t generate the same kind of bedlam that assaulted Bayern Munich.

But to hold the current best team on the planet whilst all those others visitors went home successful demonstrates the power of Old Trafford.

It is easy for the crowd to reserve their defiant and encouraging noise levels on such monumental occasions. It is easier to be off your seat and shouting yourself hoarse when you have something decent to cheer.

Old Trafford has lost its fortress status this season and the atmosphere has been dwindling for ages but the visit of Bayern illustrated that when it wants to the famous old ground can still be the 12th man. David Moyes is going to need that extra help in the future.