Barcelona’s performance in the 2011 Champions League final has gone down as one of the finest team displays of this millennium.

The Blaugrana, managed by Pep Guardiola and with Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi running the show, came to England and toyed with Manchester United, cruising to a 3-1 win.

Sir Alex Ferguson claimed before the match that his Man United side could cause harm to the Spanish club.

But afterwards, he had to concede the gulf in class.

“In my time as a manager, I would say they're the best team we've faced,” Fergie said.

“No one has given us a hiding like that.”

It was the second time that Man United had lost a Champions League final to Barcelona in three years and some of Ferguson’s players had simply had enough of being messed with.

What Man United players said

In 2016, Eric Abidal opened up on the incredible reaction of Man United’s players as they chased and chased and chased.

"The thing I remember most about that final is the last half an hour,” Abidal said.

"The English players were angry, really furious, because we had turned Wembley into a huge rondo and there was nothing they could do about it.

"They kept swearing, shouting everything under the sun. It was incredible. Some of my team-mates couldn’t understand them but I could.

“'That’s enough, stop f***ing about.' We’re dead. And there are still 25 minutes left.

"Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Busquets, Alves, who was practically a midfielder that day, kept going."

Just brutal.

The match statistics highlight Barcelona’s dominance.

They recorded 777 passes, more than double Man United’s 357.

Barca had 69 per cent possession and Xavi controlled the match, completing 148 of the 155 passes he attempted during the 90 minutes.

It was Barcelona at their peak - no team would have been able to stop them on that day.

Wayne Rooney’s equaliser after Pedro’s opener may have given Man United hope, but Messi and David Villa scored in the second half to complete a perfect performance.