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Sir Alex Ferguson has identified the trio of Lionel Messi, Anres Iniesta and Xavi as the players to watch when his Manchester United side face Barcelona in the Champions League final.

United and Barcelona will come face-to-face in a repeat of the 2009 final at Wembley on May 28.

“Obviously, Barcelona is the big one now,” Ferguson told US-based radio station Sirius XM. “What we have to do is find a solution to the Xavi-Messi-Iniesta problem.

”Everyone is searching for that because they are outstanding footballers. We have our share too. In the final last time we started off really well, then gave away a bad goal. After that Barcelona kept the ball very well, as they always do.

“We have players who can cause any team a lot of bother and hopefully those attacking players will give Barcelona problems that everyone thinks they are going to give us.”

Ferguson also responded to critics who have claimed United are not as good as in previous years.

“Everyone has said this is not a good Manchester United team, that we are not this or that,” he said. “But we have scored more goals than anyone else. Our home form has been magnificent. We are undefeated in Europe. We are in the Champions League final and we will win the league by getting one more point.

“You have to put all the criticism to one side because I have to be realistic when I look at my team and ask ‘Am I satisfied?’ Those players have given me everything.”

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