The Catalan playmaker has also praised Manchester United
for their attacking approach against his side in the Champions League final at Wembley at the end of last month
Xavi
believes that Barcelona
are the best team of the last 20 years, and has also claimed that Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time.
The Catalan side were in scintillating form again last season, winning a third consecutive La Liga title and collecting a second Champions League trophy in three years.
The Spain international spoke in an interview with German newspaper Bild, and was asked to comment on where he felt his team would be placed among the all time elite.
"There have been some great teams in history, Pele's Brazil, [Johan] Cruyff's Ajax, [Arrigo] Sacchi's Milan, but in the past 20 years this Barcelona team is the best," insisted Xavi.
He was also asked to give his opinion on his team-mate Messi, who is widely considered to be the best player of his generation.
He said: "He is the best player of all time - better than Pele, [Diego] Maradona or Cruyff. We have to protect him as he is crucial. Without him we would not be what we are."
for their attacking approach against his side in the Champions League final at Wembley at the end of last monthXavi
believes that Barcelona are the best team of the last 20 years, and has also claimed that Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time.The Catalan side were in scintillating form again last season, winning a third consecutive La Liga title and collecting a second Champions League trophy in three years.
The Spain international spoke in an interview with German newspaper Bild, and was asked to comment on where he felt his team would be placed among the all time elite.
"There have been some great teams in history, Pele's Brazil, [Johan] Cruyff's Ajax, [Arrigo] Sacchi's Milan, but in the past 20 years this Barcelona team is the best," insisted Xavi.
He was also asked to give his opinion on his team-mate Messi, who is widely considered to be the best player of his generation.
He said: "He is the best player of all time - better than Pele, [Diego] Maradona or Cruyff. We have to protect him as he is crucial. Without him we would not be what we are."
The 31-year-old then went on to speak about the contrasting styles of Real Madrid and Manchester United, who Barca beat en-route to lifting the Champions League trophy.
"Madrid were the hardest opponents but not because they played football but because they wanted to destroy the game.
"I like Manchester United's approach a thousand times better. It would be interesting to see what would happen if Real did play."
By Livio Caferoglu http://www.goal.com/
6 Jun 2011 15:54:00
6 Jun 2011 15:54:00
among others. The contract guarantees their participation,” Bhaskar Goswami of the Celebrity Management Group was quoted by PTI.
, whose club side 
title defence the day before, would fly out with his Argentina team mates or join the tour later.
have visited India in the past to play exhibition matches in a bid to build on the interest in the game in the country of 1.2 billion people.
was born into the world on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Sante Fe Province (Argentina). Football came very naturally to Lionel and he began playing for his local team coached by his father, Grandoli, at the tender age of 5. In 1995, at just 8 years of age, Messi moved up the career ladder fast and joined 
. However, it was not all a fairytale for Lionel and at 11 years of age, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, which would cast doubt over his entire career in the game. River Plate, Argentina's then most famous club, were interested in capturing Messi's signature, but could not afford the $800 per month treatment Lionel would require to treat his problem. Already on their radar, 
intervened and offered Lionel the treatment if he was prepared to move overseas to Spain. Messi's family agreed to this and the beginning of his rise to stardom was quietly being etched.
's true successor, even by the latter himself several months later. On June 27, 2005, to warn off other clubs, Barcelona offered Lionel Messi a contract extension which would contain a buyout clause of 150 Million Euros (30 Million more than the talismanic 
), underlining how much the player meant to the club.
goals in the 89th minute against Werder Bremen in Germany, effectively keeping the club's Champions League status intact. Messi is currently nursing a broken metatarsal and is expected to be out until March 2007.