I took control of Barcelona at the start of the 2000-01 season with my board expecting a serious title challenge. I did not make any signings as Barcelona already had a very strong squad. I played for most of the first season a 3-4-1-2 formation with Dutruel in goal, Frank De Boer, Abelardo, and Michael Reiziger in defence. I had Overmars, Simao (VERY good right winger for all of you who haven't discovered him yet), Guardiola and Gerard (also a very good young Spanish AMC) in midfield, and Rivaldo just behind Kluivert and Alfonso up front.

I came third in the league in the first season. In the last game I needed to get a better result than both Valencia and Real Madrid and I unfortunately lost 3-1 to Real Sociedad who were fourth, thanks to the fact that Rivaldo was on International duty with Brazil, who got beaten 4-1 by Argentina so he may as well not have bothered. Valencia won La Liga with Real second.

I got to the Semi-Finals of the Champions League and the Spanish Cup, got beaten by Valencia 2-1 in the Cup and by Lazio on away goals in the Champs League.

The second season saw me make wholesale changes to my side, spending over 140m on Hyypia, Shevchenko, Phillips, Abreu, Beckham, Ronaldinho and Rio Ferdinand. I won the laegue by 24 points, did not lose a game and have not started my third season yet.