Picking a Best Barcelona XI from the 1990s
Barcelona have been lucky down the years to have squads that have rivalled the best in the world.
Whether homegrown at La Masia or bought in from elsewhere, the cream of footballing talent has graced Camp Nou.
And Barca continue to be the household name that is a huge pull for any professional footballer.
Back in the 1990's, Barca's "Dream Team" ran riot. Even as that team eventually broke up, there were some huge international names to make their living in Blaugrana.
Let's take a look at a "Best XI" from that decade and remember to leave your comments in the section below as to whether you agree or not with the selections...
Andoni Zubizarreta
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To criticise Andoni Zubizarreta for a number of Barca's recent failings is to conveniently forget the excellence he provided between the sticks in the 90's.
A former record-appearance holder for his country, "Zubi" was Barca's custodian for eight years, straddling both the late eighties and early nineties.
When Barca purchased him from Athletic Club de Bilbao for the equivalent of €1.6m, it was for a then world-record fee for a goalkeeper.
And Zubi repaid the fee in droves and with astonishing consistency. In the four title-winning seasons, the keeper missed just four games in total.
As team captain, he was a calming presence despite the pressure of playing for one of the best teams in the world. FCBarcelona.com's own tribute on their official website reads:
"He was also captain of the club for several seasons, and was noted both on and off the pitch for his serenity and psychological balance, which he was constantly able to transmit to the other players in order to get through the most difficult of match situations.
"
Albert Ferrer
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Albert "Chapi" Ferrer owned the right-back slot at Barca for the best part of the decade.
After an education in Barca's B side, he was given a chance at senior level and never really looked back.
Another key member of the Dream Team, Ferrer was small, tough and disarmingly quick. As an attacking wing-back, his style was perfectly complementary to those around him.
No circus or fanfare about him, he just took care of business with great diligence.
Over 200 games played for the Catalans gives an indication of how highly thought of he was.
Frank De Boer
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An accomplished defender schooled in the Ajax way, Frank De Boer was always going to settle in at Barca without any problems whatsoever.
Equally comfortable in the left-back or centre-back roles, De Boer and his twin brother Ronald were signed by their old Ajax manager Louis Van Gaal in a joint £22m move.
Strong in the air and quick over the ground, with supreme passing ability and the occasional eye for goal, De Boer was a brilliant all-round talent.
Pep Guardiola
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Who else could be captain of this XI than Pep Guardiola.
"Mr Barcelona," Pep's distinguished service throughout the years to the club of his life is an example to future generations.
Joining the club at 13, he rose up through the various ranks of La Masia before becoming a regular in the senior side at 20.
Tactically astute even at such an early age, he became Johan Cruyff's general on the pitch.
The embodiment of the Dream Team era, Pep's role as pivot was instrumental in the successes of the team at that time.
A natural captain and leader, it can't be a surprise to anyone that Guardiola has gone on to enjoy such wonderful success as a manager.
Ronald Koeman
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Ronald Koeman will always be remembered as the man who scored "that" goal.
A thunderbolt of a free-kick during extra-time at Wembley that would win Barcelona their first-ever European Cup.
Indeed, that strike meant he became the first player to score in consecutive European finals, having netted a consolation for the Catalans in the 2-1 defeat in the 1991 European Cup Winners Cup Final against Manchester United.
For a player in his position, Koeman would score a hefty amount during his Barca career. A defender-cum-midfielder by trade, goals were also unusually his forte. Getting 67 in 192 appearances is a super return.
Yet, we shouldn't stray too far away from his primary role. Koeman was a fearsome competitor who was combative in the tackle and was never one to pull out of a challenge.
Solid and dependable.
Gheorghe Popescu
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Not one of the names that would perhaps readily spring to mind, but the unheralded Gheorghe Popescu certainly deserves his place in this line up.
Signing from Tottenham Hotspur in 1995, Popescu succeeded Ronald Koeman in the side and would be made captain not long after joining.
A masterful tactical brain with a solid defensive ethic, allied to an ability to bring the ball out of the defence is what set the Romanian apart from his contemporaries.
The Catalans won the Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup Winners Cup under his captaincy, before Popescu departed to Turkey after two seasons.
Gheorghe Hagi
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Gheorghe Hagi is widely considered to be the best Romanian footballer of all time, and his moniker of "The Maradona of the Carpathians" was well deserved.
Despite an earlier association with Real Madrid, Hagi's incredible skill set soon won Barca's fan base around.
Although he only spent two seasons in Catalonia, signing directly after the 1994 World Cup, Hagi became a crowd favourite well before he moved on to new pastures with Galatasaray.
Arguably one of the most skillful players to pull on the Blaugrana.
Hristo Stoichkov
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Hristo Stoichov was loved by the fans as much for his temper as his prowess in front of goal.
A spiky character, the Bulgarian was a fearsome striker with a cannonball-shot.
He reached his zenith while at Barcelona and at the same time on the international stage.
In the space of four seasons in the early 90's, he was a regular in the side that won four La Liga titles and a European Cup, Barca's first, at Wembley in 1992.
On a personal level, he was top scorer at the 1994 World Cup, winner of the European Golden Shoe and a Ballon d'Or winner.
He will live long in the memories of cules everywhere.
Ronaldo
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Until Lionel Messi arrive on the scene, no one had ever come close to matching the numbers produced by Ronaldo in the mid-1990's.
Signing from PSV Eindhoven, big things were expected of the 20-year-old and he didn't disappoint.
Stocky and powerful, opposition sides simply couldn't live with him and 47 goals in 51 appearances speaks volumes.
What a shame that Barca fans only got to see him for a solitary season because of a fall out with club directors, per FC Barcelona.com.
His most memorable strike remains the one he scored at Compostela, and his goals helped the Catalans to hoover up the Spanish Super Cup, Copa del Rey and Cup Winners' Cup in that 1996-97 campaign.
Romario
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The second Brazilian attacker in this hypothetical XI has to be Romario.
It's doubtful there was a better "fox in the box" in European football at the time he, and Barca, ruled the roost.
His 30 goals in 33 games during the 1993-94 season made him an obvious top scorer, with a hat-trick against Real Madrid a particular highlight.
A completely different type of player to Ronaldo, he was no less prolific.
Steve Bruce of Manchester United was in no doubt as to just how good the Brazilian was, per Mark Ogden's report in the Daily Telegraph, looking back at the night the Red Devils were taken apart by 4-0:
"Of all the great things that happened during my career, the thing that sticks out the most is that night because we got our backsides kicked big-style.
Stoichkov and Romario are still etched in my memory, especially Romario, who was arguably the best player I ever faced.
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Michael Laudrup
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One of a handful of players to play for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, Michael Laudrup is still held in the highest esteem by both clubs and both sets of fans.
Barcelona even refer to him on their official website as:
"The artist of the Dream Team, a creative striker of such elegance that it was often joked that he was the kind of player that could play in a coat and tails.
He seemed able to effortlessly and seamlessly produce skilful play after skilful play.
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For reasons unknown, Laudrup hadn't settled at Juventus and Barca stepped in to sign him in 1989. He would go on to be as important as any other in the Dream Team.
His range of passing was a delight and accuracy in successfully completing long or short ball, unsurpassed.
A creator supreme, his goals-to-games ratio wasn't too shabby either. 93 in 288 games is virtually one goal in every three games.
An excellent return for a player who was as far removed from a natural striker as it's possible to be.
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