Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrates scoring their second goal with Neymar, Javier Mascherano, Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi during their final match at the FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournament in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015 (Reuters)
Egypt's Ahly have insisted that they are still leading the world clubs in terms of international titles, disputing Barcelona's claim that they had won a 20th title by beating River Blate in the Club World Cup final on Sunday.
The Cairo giants, who reached 20 titles in 2014, said on Sunday that Italian side AC Milan, Spanish giants Real Madrid and Argentinean side Boca Juniors are sharing second place with 18 titles.
Barcelona won five UEFA Champions League titles, five Super Cups, four Cup Winners' Cups, three Inter-Cities Fairs Cups and two Club World Cups.
"Barcelona counted three unregistered titles to their list as Inter-Cities Fairs Cups which was out of UEFA's observation when it was launched," read a statement released by Ahly on Sunday.
"Inter-Cities Fairs Cups was launched in 1955 and then it was canceled in 1971."
"UEFA said before that they don't count Inter-Cities Fairs Cups in their sheets as it wasn't under their observation during that time," the statement added.
Barcelona defeated South American champions River Plate of Argentina 3-0 in the Club World Cup final on Saturday.
The Spanish giants said ahead of their participation in the Club World Cup in Japan that they were aiming to go level on 20 titles with Ahly, Egypt and Africa's most successful outfit.
"In December FC Barcelona will have the chance to add further conquest to the list when they compete for the Club World Cup in Japan," read a statement on Barcelona's official website last week.
"This also presents them with the opportunity to draw level with the most successful club in the world in terms of international title Egypt's Ahly who have won 20 continental titles in Africa."
Ahly won their 20th continental title in late 2014 when they defeated Ivory Coast's Sewe Sport in the final of the Confederation Cup, Africa's second-tier club competition.
They also won eight African Champions League titles, six Super Cups, four Cup Winners' Cups and one Afro-Asian Cup.
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