FCBARCELONA.CAT

10.02.2009 18:27

Ferguson and Maradona impressed by Barça

www.fcbarcelona.cat

The manager of the current European and English champions, Sir Alex Ferguson, has spoken about FC Barcelona and Josep Guardiola. The Red Devils’ boss considers Barça to be United’s biggest rivals in their campaign to retain the coveted trophy.

The Manchester United manager was speaking in Valletta, capital of Malta, and observed on the UEFA website that “I think Barcelona are going to be the biggest threat if United are going to win the European Cup again this season.”

Barça danger

According to Sir Alex Ferguson, Barça “have got strength in depth as far as their squad is concerned and having a 12-point lead at this stage at the top of La Liga is quite a confirmation of their strength”. The Scot is with Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes on a visit to the team’s supporters club in Malta, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The best for Maradona

Another of football’s global figures, Diego Armando Maradona, has also commented on Barça and Guardiola. “Barça is the best team I have seen in recent years” he said. “After them there’s a group made up of Manchester, Inter, Liverpool, and even, Real Madrid, good teams, no doubt, but they are a long way behind Barcelona’s football”.

Guardiola and Messi

The Argentinian manager also named some Barça names. “With so little experience, Guardiola is doing incredible things with that group of players” and as for Messi, who his first international under Maradona on Wednesday he said “he knows what he has to do for Argentina, and he wants to show it.” He added “he has everything in him to meet the challenges ahead.”

On the right

Maradona was speaking before a friendly with France, and said “Messi will play on the right, like he does at Barça. It would be absurd to play him anywhere else if he plays there for Barça and is proving so decisive.”