Hristo Stoichkov: Perfect XI

Goalkeeper
Andoni Zubizarreta 
Behind every great team, there’s a great goalkeeper. Maybe Barcelona never realised Andoni was just that until he left after our Champions League final loss to Milan in ’94, and it took them many years to replace him. He was consistent and commanding; you don’t play for your country in four World Cups unless you’re a great player.

Right-back
Antonio Benarrivo
I didn’t know too much about Benarrivo until I went to Italy. He could play on either flank and sometimes played as a winger. Parma, despite their success, were never one of Italy’s big clubs, but Benarrivo was one of a number of Parma players to force their way into the national team at a time when Italy, even by their high standards, were spoilt for great defenders.

Centre-back
Ronald Koeman

Few defenders have possessed Ronald’s range of passing from defence – and that gave Barcelona a huge advantage over most of our opponents. We would quite simply not have been the same team without him.

Centre-back
Jose Ramon Alexanko

A great leader and no-nonsense central defender. He was the first of the big Basque contingent of the ’80s and ’90s to arrive at Barcelona and was hugely popular at the Nou Camp. As club captain, it was right that he was brought on as a sub by Johan Cruyff late in the 1992 European Cup Final victory over Sampdoria, as no one deserved to lift that trophy more than Alexanko.

Left-back
Trifon Ivanov

Played with a fierce will to win and never took any prisoners. Had a great shot and fancied himself at free-kicks. The Bulgarian side always felt more confident when he was in the team.

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