Summary
John Obi Mikel struggled against Barcelona's tiki-taka style due to the midfield trio of Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets.
Mikel praised Paul Scholes, considering him the best English player who would fit seamlessly into Guardiola's Barcelona team.
Paul Scholes' passing range, vision, goalscoring abilities, and trophy haul at Manchester United set him apart as one of the best midfielders.
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Barcelona was every top footballer’s dream destination - a footballing utopia sculpted by Pep Guardiola’s genius. Under his watchful eye, the Blaugrana collected three La Liga titles, two Champions League trophies, and revolutionised the game with their mesmerizing tiki-taka style. For John Obi Mikel, however, this wasn’t just a spectacle, it was a nightmare he would experience firsthand at Chelsea.
The retired Nigerian midfielder unwittingly found himself caught in Barcelona’s intricate web of one-touch passing when the Blues made the dreaded trip to Camp Nou in 2009. It was his first of several encounters with Guardiola’s footballing machine, with each one leaving him looking like a deer in headlights as Chelsea struggled against their relentless dominance. The simple fact of the matter was that, coming against a midfield of Xavi, Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets presented itself as near enough mission impossible.
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Fortunately for Mikel, he didn’t have to endure those Catalan masterclasses week in, week out. Instead, he carved out a decade-long career in the Premier League, earning cult hero status thanks to his time at Stamford Bridge. But there was one English midfielder who triggered those familiar Barcelona flashbacks - one player who, in Mikel’s eyes, would have slotted seamlessly into Guardiola’s midfield orchestra and not look out of place.
Paul Scholes Named Only Englishman Fit for Guardiola’s Barcelona
John Obi Mikel was full of praise for the Manchester United icon
Paul Scholes
Appearing on the Vibe with Five Podcast alongside former Premier League rival Rio Ferdinand, the Chelsea legend claimed that Paul Scholes was England's best player during his career, before going on to say the Manchester United icon wouldn't have looked out of place in Guardiola's Barcelona team. He said (watch the video below):
"Paul Scholes, for me, is the best English player. Scholesy was top, I mean, he was absolutely brilliant, absolutely brilliant, the way he played the game. And we all think he is probably the only English player that would get in that Barcelona team I think back then."
Just How Good Was Scholes at Manchester United?
The Ginger Prince played football with a swagger like no other
Paul Scholes
With 155 goals in 718 appearances for Manchester United, Scholes was one of the Red Devils' most influential midfielders under the reign of terror that Sir Alex Ferguson assembled. His vision, passing range, and goalscoring abilities played a significant role in the club's success, with many of his colleagues recognising him as one of the best midfielders of all time.
This long list of ex-players and managers that appreciated the Ginger Prince includes Jamie Carragher, who named him as the best player he trained with at England, while David Silva named him one of his toughest opponents, and Gary Lineker listed him among his greatest Premier League players of all time.
Paul Scholes' Stats Per Competition
Competition
Premier League
Champions League
FA Cup
League Cup
Scholes' ability to control the tempo of games and his exceptional long-range shooting ability set him apart from the rest. A key member of the Class of '92, Scholes embodied the ethos of United, and enjoyed a trophy-laden career at the club, which included 11 league titles, three FA Cups, and two Champions Leagues.
His rivals to that success - Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard - could not possibly hold a candle to his trophy haul, and there's a good reason many see him as the only Englishman that was ever able to break away from the norms of his home country that players for the Three Lions were stiff, strong, and not very tactically fluid. The metronomic quality he had in the middle of the park was certainly more suited to the flair of Spain.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 07/03/2025)