Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits Barcelona are the best team he has ever faced in his 25 years in charge at Old Trafford, following the Blaugranas' 3-1 Champions League final win on Saturday.
United were thoroughly bossed by Pep Guardiola's side and Ferguson could only marvel at the skill displayed by Lionel Messi, Xavi et al.
Ferguson said: "In my time as a manager it is the best team we have faced. I think everyone acknowledges that. I accept that. It's not easy when you have been well beaten like that to think any other way.
"No one has given us a hiding like that. It's a great moment for them. They deserve it because they play the right way and they enjoy their football.
"They mesmerise you with their passing and we never really controlled Messi. When we got the lifeline of Wayne Rooney I expected us to do better in the second half but it wasn't to be."
The Scot revealed that United tried to play their normal game but had no answer to Barcelona's domination of midfield, while he admitted that man-marking Messi was never an option.
Ferguson said: "We tried to play the way we normally play. It's alien to us to man-mark players, It wasn't good enough on the night. We understand that and we acknowledge it and we can step forward from here.
"Great teams go in cycles and the cycle they (Barcelona) are in at the moment is the best in Europe, there's no question of that. How long it lasts, whether they can replace that team at another point...they certainly have the philosophy.
"Can you find players like Xavi and Iniesta and Messi all the time? Probably not. But they are enjoying the moment that they have just now."