Spain and Barcelona legend Xavi has no doubt as to who the better player is between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Xavi who is currently playing in Qatar did not hesitate to name Lionel Messi as a “more intelligent” player than Portuguese superstar Ronaldo.
Ronaldo and Messi have once again had good seasons with Ronaldo leading the pichichi standings with 28 goals while Lionel Messi boasts a better goals per minute ratio.
When asked about the differences between the two players, Xavi, now playing in Qatar, toldThe New Arab: "Ronaldo is a goalscorer, and Messi is also a goalscorer; however, Messi is a much better team player than Ronaldo.
"I think Messi is the best footballer in the world. In football, there are two important elements: fitness and intelligence. Ronaldo is very fit but Messi has both the fitness as well as the intelligence, so simply put he is better."
Xavi also believed Barcelona will be capable of defending their Champions League title. He however identified Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid as Barcelona’s main rivals for continental glory.
"Obviously, I want my team Barcelona to win the title," he said. "I think they are the most likely to win along with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
"But of course we must be wary of Real Madrid, because when they have unstable results in the league they usually play better in the Champions League.
"But I still think Barcelona is the likeliest team to win."
Barcelona unveil Johan Cruyff memorial at the Camp Nou
Barcelona have unveiled a special enclosure within the Camp Nou that serves as a memorial site for the recently deceased Johan Cruyff. Barcelona President, Josep Maria Bartolomeu and several dignitaries were in attendance as they opened the memorial, with Bartomeu leading the tributes as the Catalan club mourned the death of their favourite Dutch son.
Johan Cruyff’s death on Thursday shocked the world of football, despite the Dutchman’s battle with lung cancer. Barcelona, in particular, are the club with a definite imprint of Cruyff as the Dutch legend revamped the club as a player and as a manager. Thus, Barcelona have unveiled a special enclosure that will serve as a memorial site open to the public until Tuesday next week.
Josep Maria Bartolomeu, Barcelona's president, led the tributes, saying “These are sad days for Barcelona and football. But the show of support at Camp Nou and around the world is welcome. Johan changed the world of football and Barca, in the way he expressed himself, too. It's impossible to understand the current situation without him.”
“He is and will continue being a great reference for the fans.”
