It was plain for all to see that the best in Spanish football was simply too hot for the best in British football and the score line of 3-1 could have been a lot worse had Barcalona kept up thee pressure they were putting United under for the full 90 minutes.
"In my time as a manager I would say yes, this is the best team I've faced," Ferguson told a press conference afterwards.
"I think everyone acknowledges that and I accept that. It's not easy when you've been well beaten like that to think in any other way. No one's given us a hiding like that."
Fergie also had to admit that Barca would remain on top of the pile as long as they have the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez in the side.
"I think that great teams do go in cycles, and I think the cycle they're in at the moment makes them the best in Europe, there's no question of that," he added.
"How long it lasts, whether they can replace that team at a certain point, who knows? But they certainly have the philosophy.
"It's always difficult to say whether you'll be able to replace players like Xavi and Iniesta at a certain point. Probably not.
"But they are enjoying the moment and they deserve to because they play football the right way."