Wenger - Pep Barcelona side better than Bayern Munich

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has suggested the Bayern Munich class of 2014 are no match for Barcelona team Pep Guardiola guided to Champions League success on two occasions.

Wenger's Gunners were beaten by the Barcelona side who reigned as European champions in 2009 and 2011 as well as the Bayern Munich team that won the biggest prize in European club football last season, but he is clear which of the two teams impressed him most.

Ahead of his re-match with a Bayern side now led by ex-Barca coach Guardiola, Wenger has offered up a fascinating comparison of the two teams that have dominated the European game in recent years.

"I was most impressed by the Barcelona team at the peak, through the speed of their passing and the speed of their game," Wenger told reporters.

"The first time we played them at the Emirates (March 2010), the first half an hour was the best I've seen. Hopefully I will not have the same impression on Wednesday night. Until now, in my experience, in my life, that's the best team I've played against."

Arsenal held on to draw 2-2 with the Catalans in the Champions League quarter-final first leg that Wenger refers to, before being eliminated 6-3 on aggregate following a 4-1 loss at the Nou Camp, in which Lionel Messi scored all four goals.

Speaking before Barcelona's impressive display against Manchester City on Tuesday, Wenger suggested it would be wrong to write off Tata Martino's Spanish league leaders in this season's Champions League.

"They are not finished," was Wenger's verdict on Barcelona. "They still won the championship in Spain [last season] The consensus of opinion adapts always to the last result. I don't think they are finished.

"They have Neymar, Messi, they have [Cesc] Fabregas, [Andres] Iniesta. They are not average players. They are top-class players. They can surprise everybody again this season."

Meanwhile, Wenger suggested the Bayern side his team will face on Wednesday are not an improved model of the team that overcame Arsenal at the same stage of the Champions League a year ago.

"Last year they won the German league, the German Cup, the Champions League and the [Club] World Cup," he added. "How can they improve?

"Maybe in the style there is always room for improvement, but if they just do the same achievements this season they can say they have improved, because it's more difficult to do it again."

Nothing wrong with what hes said, that Barcelona team was one of the best ever. Although in his next few seasons with Bayern it will probably be the best chance Pep will ever have to better that Barca side

I read the whole thing, word for word, and at no point during that interview did he say Barcelona are better than Bayern If anything, he heaped praise on both sides

I think the title refers to "I was most impressed by Barcelona at their peak" but yeah, phrasing it like that is completely disingenuous.

I can live with that.
That first half was indeed spectacular.

Also don't forget that by saying that Wenger makes himself and his team look good, since the match ended 2:2 if I remember correctly

Well, the title sounds like a typical goal.com title ^^

Well according to the article he's "suggested" that Bayern is "no match" but it's totally not what he said, again, according to the article.

I do like his "consensus of opinion" phrase though, very well said.

Barca's pressing was much better, so was the possession, link up play and they had Messi. On the other hand Bayern are more versatile and not one dimensional. They can cross and mix it up have physicality and are better counter-attacking wiise. Overall I think Bayern can certainly reach Barca's level, but for now Barca under Pep are better.

Too bad we can never see Pep's Barca vs Pep's Bayern

Pep's Barca vs Pep's Bayern.