Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson, ahead of his team's Champions League final against Barcelona on Saturday, says the current Barca team is even better than the one that outclassed Man United in the final two years ago.

"They have more maturity about their team now because I think winning that European Cup was a big step forward for them as a team,” said Ferguson, whose team fell, 2-0, in the 2009 final.

Since Barcelona won its third European title in 2009, Coach Pep Guardiola’s club has won two Spanish titles and is often lauded as the best team in history.

Ferguson guided Man United to Champions League titles in 1999 and 2008. A win on Saturday would mark the 28th major trophy of Ferguson’s 25-year Old Trafford reign. He won a 12th Premier League title this month.