Barca appeal to Boca star

Boca Juniors star Juan Roman Riquelme feels Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has a unique group of players at present.

Barca added the Club World Cup to their trophy cabinet on Sunday after previously winning the European Supercup and Spanish Supercopa this term, and Riquelme feels it’s nearly impossible to beat them.

“We all like watching Barcelona. They’ve been fortunate enough to bring together a group of players the likes of which will never be seen again in (Lionel) Messi, (Andres) Iniesta, Xavi, (Gerard) Pique,” he told the FIFDA website.

“All in the same team at the same time. It’s a stroke of fortune, but they’re a real joy to watch.”

“If you come up against them in a knockout cup tie or over two legs and luck goes your way then you can edge past them.”

“But they’re very unlikely to be beaten in a longer competition, like a league championship.”

“I think the only coach who has managed to beat this Barcelona team is the guy who’s at Getafe (Luis Garcia), who beat them 1-0 recently and managed a draw with them last season when he was at Levante. That says it all.”

Riquelme, 33, also believes that Barca’s arch-rivals in La Liga are well ahead of the competition.

“Barcelona and Real Madrid, although they have different styles, they are both way ahead of the rest,” he said.

Riquelme was under contract with Barcelona from 2002 until 2005, but spent only one season with the Catalans before being loaned out to Villarreal.