Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has warned against underestimating the strength of their Champions League final opponents Manchester United.
The Spanish champions take on their English counterparts in the final of Europe’s premier club competition at Wembley in London on Saturday evening in a repeat finale of 2008-09.Two years ago Barcelona defeated United 2-0 in Rome, thanks to goals from Samuel Eto'o and Messi, and will once again start this year’s final as favorites.
Messi, though, believes that it will be unfair to write off Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, who won a record 19th Premier League title this campaign.
"They won the English championship and they are in the Champions League final,” the Argentina international said in a press conference on Monday. “They can't be very weak if they have achieved all that.
"It is a final, it is a special match given what is at stake. The good memory of Rome is behind us. This will be a totally different match. We are facing a very strong adversary, which has very good players."
Man United and Barcelona have won the European Cup three times each.