Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra has admitted Barcelona have been the best side in the world for the past four years.
The France full-back cut a chastened figure as he made his way out of Wembley last night.
Having held such high hopes prior to kick-off, Evra and his team-mates were well and truly put in their place by a brilliant Barcelona performance.
The Catalans emerged 3-1 winners, reinforcing the superiority they showed in Rome two years ago.
Twelve months before that, United had beaten Barcelona in a tense semi-final that yielded a single goal.
Yet even then it seems, Evra felt Barca were number one on the planet.
"You have to give credit to Barcelona," Evra told www.uefa.com. "Even though I play for Manchester United and we always want to be the best in the world, this time Barcelona were the best.
"For the moment we have to accept that for the last four years Barcelona have been the best team in the world, and United the second."
United had hoped they could rely on the experience they have gained over the past few seasons, when they have secured four Premier League titles in five years.
However, it soon became apparent that the Barcelona players' knowledge of each other is so much more intense.
"We know each other, but they know each other so well, so perfectly," said Evra. "Every time Messi gets the ball he knows Xavi is going to be there, Pedro is going to be there, or (Andres) Iniesta.
"It was very difficult, Barcelona keep the ball really well."
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