Van Basten: Barcelona are the best team in history

Jun 14, 2012 10:25:00 AM

The Dutch legend feels Pep Guardiola's side's professionalism and achievements on the pitch make them a more impressive outfit than Arrigo Sacchi's AC Milan

Netherlands legend Marco van Basten believes Pep Guardiola's Barcelona team of the last four years are superior to Arrigo Sacchi's AC Milan side of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Under the Italian's tutelage, the Rossoneri were widely acclaimed for their style of play, and won two consecutive European Cups, the last team to achieve this feat.

However, the Dutchman is of the opinion the current crop of talent at Camp Nou far surpass the legendary Milan side, in which he played a critical role, due to their professionalism, and results on the pitch.

"It's very simple," he told L'Equipe. "Barca are the best team in history. Simply pick the best teams in history and compare their results. Not even we achieved those results.

"Their strength is that they are professionals. They live for football, that's what motivats them, not celebrity status.

"[Ruud Gullit] was a super player, but also a star. Xavi is a super player, but along with that, he likes being with his family. [Lionel] Messi and [Andres] Iniesta are the same too.

"Perhaps the only one who likes being the centre of attention is [Gerard] Pique. To all the others, what interests them is their job as a footballer.

"This is the key to staying at the highest level for all those years."

Having announced his exit from Camp Nou, Guardiola will be replaced by Tito Vilanova, who is set to sign a two-year contract to coach the side, the club has announced.

Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached!
Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET!

play

open

Inside Goal.Com

Player Ratings: Siena 1-2 AC Milan
Goal was on hand to judge all the players as Allegri's men finished third in Serie A and secured a Champions League berth next season
Player Ratings: Barcelona 2-1 Valladolid
Goal rates the players on show as the newly-crowned Liga champions cruised past the challenge of Miroslav Djukic's men to keep up hopes of reaching 100 points
Arsenal hold their nerve in top-four battle
Arsene Wenger's side produced a clinical performance to secure a top-four Premier League finish but now they must kick on if they wish to challenge for honours next year
Player Ratings: Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal
Laurent Koscielny's 52nd-minute volley secured the Gunners the win over Alan Pardew's side and made sure they would be playing Champions League football next season
Player Ratings: West Brom 5-5 Man Utd
Sir Alex Ferguson was given a farewell to remember, but certainly not for the right reasons as the Romelu Lukaku-led hosts battled back from three goals down to earn an unlikely point