Rijkaard praises Sir Alex

Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard has praised Sir Alex Ferguson and Man Utd. The Dutch coach revealed his respect for the Scotsman, while also praising Manchester United's style of football ahead of their Champions League encounter.

Rijkaard said: "I don't like to speak about the best or compare people, but he (Ferguson) is one of the best and influential managers around. I congratulate him for that and I have a lot of respect for him. He embodies football.

"I don't feel undervalued at all. I think you have to look at it the other way around. He (Ferguson) has created his atmosphere. He is a great manager and has done a great job."

The Dutchman also enjoys United's style of play: "They are able to play the English style because they play in the English Premier League every week and are used to that, but they also have a lot of players who are able to adapt to the European game."