Former Manchester United and England star Paul Scholes set the record straight on a hotly debated topic surrounding La Liga clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Paul Scholes called it time on his legendary playing in 2013 after lifting Manchester United’s last Premier League title under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The 49-year-old United legend is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time after his remarkable playing career at Old Trafford.
One of the famed ‘Class of ’92’ members, Scholes lifted 11 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, three FA Cups and two League Cups.
Scholes spent his entire club career – across two different spells – under United legend Sir Alex Ferguson after breaking into the first team in the 1990s.
The former England international made a whopping 713 appearances for United and Scholes scored 153 times and registered 82 assists for the Red Devils.
Scholes’ experience of legendary Barcelona trio
Speaking on The Overlap, Paul Scholes opened up about his Manchester United career on the European stage in the Champions League.
The ex-Three Lions and United midfielder lifted the Champions League trophy as part of the famed treble-winning team in 1999 and again in 2008.
However, Scholes tasted defeat in two Champions League finals after coming up against the famed Barcelona teams under Pep Guardiola in 2009 and 2011.
The United legend recalled the difficulty of playing against Barcelona’s legendary former midfield trident of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.
“They never gave you time to tackle them,” Scholes said.
“They know where everyone is on the pitch and they know where the opposition are so you think you can get to them but before you know it it’s gone.
“All of a sudden, you’re just running around in circles.”
Scholes on Barcelona trio vs Madrid trio
Scholes raved about the influence that Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets had on the Barcelona midfield under Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets’ midfield trident has often been pitted in debates alongside the one Real Madrid had with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro.
However, Scholes firmly believed that Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro were not a better midfield trio than former Barcelona trident Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets.
“I think Xavi and Iniesta were different players,” he said.
“Xavi was amazing at controlling a game, along with Busquets. He probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves because the three of them were sensational.
“Iniesta was a little bit different because he could go past people.
“That Barcelona one is better than [Real Madrid’s trio of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro].”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
