SIR Alex Ferguson has praised Barcelona as "by far" the world's best club team who should win the Champions League again this season.
"I can't see anyone taking the trophy from them," said Ferguson, whose Manchester United team lost 3-1 to Barcelona in a memorable final last May.
Ferguson's comments ahead of FIFA's annual awards ceremony suggest he expected the Spanish giants to triumph even if his own team had remained in the competition.
"Sometimes in football you have to hold your hand up and say, yeah, they're better than us," said the veteran United boss.
Ferguson's tribute to the Spanish, European and Club World Cup champions was made while sitting alongside Barca coach Pep Guardiola at a pre-event news conference.
Guardiola went on to beat Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Ferguson to be named the world's best coach in 2011.Ferguson, whose team failed to advance from the Champions League group stage last month, said Madrid were now "probably the nearest" to Barcelona.
Barcelona resumes the title defence away to Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in a Round-of-16, first-leg match on February 14. Real go to Russia one week later to face CSKA Moscow.
In Ferguson's 25-year reign at Old Trafford, he has guided Man United to two Champions League titles before meeting Barcelona in two finals in three seasons.
Lionel Messi scored both times and inspired the Catalan side to victory - 2-0 in Rome in 2009 and 3-1 at London's Wembley Stadium last season.
"We have experienced two years of it," Ferguson said of Barcelona's excellence. "It's not a crime and it's not a weakness in my belief in my own team.
"It's just plain facts that the Barcelona team just now, particularly with Lionel in their side, are just an extraordinary team."
Ferguson smiled at the suggestion that Guardiola would be a worthy successor when he steps down as planned in three years' time.
"Why would Pep want to leave Barcelona first of all?" he said. "If I was in his position, I would firmly stay where I was."
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