It is very tough to beat an English team. The type of football they play is only in the Premier League. They defend as though their lives depend on it. And they are very successful.
I was a Barcelona fan. My favorite player was Ronaldinho. But I watched a lot of English football and admired lots of English teams.
The English teams are very difficult to face.
At the very least we should be given a bit of credit and a little bit of space, and maybe the media should think we could help them discover why English teams do not win European competitions.
We are Bayern Munich and English teams always have trouble as soon as they leave the island.
I prefer beating Real Madrid to beating Manchester City!
The level of English teams is high.
Whether you win or lose against English teams, you always feel it's been a proper contest.
When I was playing in the Ajax youth teams - when I was, say, 14, 15 - you started to get all those international youth tournaments. All those English teams came. Well, the English were much further than we were.
I played in England for a year and a half, and I know how English teams play - very well.
I've played many matches against English clubs and the national team - and I always notice a difference in those games. When you play against the inventors of football, it adds more importance to the result, and you can see that demonstrated by the levels on the pitch.
