The Dutch coach is 99% certain to leave Barcelona this summer after a two-year trophy drought which may or may not be ended by Champions League glory next month.

Rijkaard was expected to step down last summer after the Blaugrana relinquished their La Liga crown to Real Madrid in feeble fashion.

Instead he stayed on in an attempt to redeem himself in Catalonia, only for his side to suffer another miserable domestic campaign.

Perhaps his faith in himself - and the belief in him shown by president Joan Laporta - was inspired by the case of Ferguson, a man whose many highs have been punctuated by several fallow periods over 22 years.

Let us not forget that four years ago United were barely considered challengers for the title.

In the 2003-04 season his team finished 15 points behind champions Arsenal as Chelsea comfortably took second place to leave United stuck with preliminary qualifiers to reach the Champions League.

With David Beckham having departed to Real Madrid and Ronaldinho snubbing a move to Old Trafford in favour of the Nou Camp, it seemed Ferguson's fantastic cycle was coming to an inevitable end.

But once again the Scot proved himself to be the old master as his skilfully-rebuilt side wrested the title back from Chelsea last season and look set to retain the crown this year too.

How Rijkaard would love his side to play the vibrant, dynamic football which became his trademark between 2003 and 2006.

The team which secured Champions League glory in 2006 was arguably the finest side to play in Europe since the great AC Milan teams of the 1980s and 1990s and certainly the greatest Barca team since Johan Cruyff's early-90s 'Dream Team'.

Gradually it has fallen apart for Rijkaard, though. Ironically the early warning signs were apparent even during that triumphant European campaign of two seasons ago, when they went all the way to beat Arsenal in Paris despite Ronaldinho's often fitful form.

Rather than building on that glorious double-winning season, Barca have regressed at an alarming rate with the former FIFA World Player of the Year now seemingly washed up, rumours of in-fighting, indiscipline and what appears to be a tactical crisis being suffered by the Dutch coach.

While Ferguson, like Arsene Wenger, has regenerated his squad with shrewd acquisitions, Rijkaard - and the equally culpable duo of Laporta and sporting director Txiki Beguiristain - have fallen short.

The signing of Eidur Gudjohnsen to replace the incredibly influential Henrik Larsson was foolish - the Icelander has never been a prolific goalscorer and clearly did not fit into Rijkaard's beloved 4-3-3 formation.

The £15million purchase of Thierry Henry was opportunistic but equally ill-judged as he has struggled physically, positionally and psychologically.

And crucially, Rijkaard's tactical shortcomings combined with questionable motivational ability have resulted in the team - still perhaps the most talented squad in Europe - repeatedly falling short in the last 23 months.

Tomorrow night he comes face to face for the second time with a man revered the world over for his proficiency in reinvigorating faded teams.

With a 0-0 secured in the first leg at the Nou Camp the match at Old Trafford is finely poised but the pressure is on Rijkaard to prove that when it comes to European football, class is permanent and form - no matter how awful - is temporary.