LONDON: Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes stated the Barcelona team under Pep Guardiola was the best side he came up against during the course of his illustrious career.
Scholes, often regarded as one of the finest playmakers in the history of the game, conceded that Barcelona had assembled an 'unreal' team when Manchester United came up against them in the first decade of this century.
Scholes also recalled the time when Manchester United were defeated by Barcelona in two UEFA Champions League finals in a span of three years.
In 2009, Barcelona blanked Manchester United 2-0 in Rome while they thumped the Red Devils 3-1 in London in 2011. Scholes admitted that United would have won more UCL titles in a different era.
"We were quite unlucky really. In any other era we might have won four, five, or six European Cups," Scholes told the A Goal In One Podcast as per Daily Mail.
"But the teams that were about -- you look at Guardiola's Barcelona team. Jesus, how good were they?!
"You could go right through the team. In midfield, you had Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi.
"Henry on the left. Centre halves of Gerard Pique and Carlos Puyol. Just unreal.
"They're without doubt the best team I've played against. They're one of the best teams that has ever been."
Despite suffering two heartbreaks at the hands of Messi and Co, Scholes ended his career as a two-time Champions League winner, having won the title in 1998-99 and 2007-08 seasons respectively.
Scholes is also the most decorated Englishman in the Premier League history as he won the top-flight title 11 times during his stay at Old Trafford.