Man United far from the level of Barcelona, says Jose Mourinho after friendly loss in US

Pre-season matches against star-studded Real Madrid and Barcelona were good preparation for the rigours of the Premier League even as they demonstrated the Spanish giants’ superior level, Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho said Wednesday.

It came on the heels of a penalty shoot-out victory over Real Madrid after the teams drew 1-1 in their International Champions Cup friendly match.

In terms of sheer talent, Mourinho acknowledged, Real Madrid and Barcelona have the edge.

“I think at this time, the best players are in these two clubs,” he said. “We have to accept that as a reality. For us to play against both in a pre-season without any kind of pressure was very good for us.

“Both played with their best team – (it’s) very, very good for us to measure against them,” he said, but added: “There is only one (Lionel) Messi. There is only one Neymar.