Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo is a popular debate and one that will continue to rumble on but the Barcelona star refuses to be drawn into discussions over who is superior.
The four-time Ballon d’Or winner is currently on the sidelines nursing a knee injury and is still expected to be out for a further four weeks.
But despite the fact that his rival Ronaldo has scored six goals in eight games in La Liga this season, Messi insists the pair don’t compete with each other.
He told Guillem Balague on Yahoo: “These are things that people say. I don’t compete with Cristiano and I suppose he would not compete with me.
“What I want is the very best for my teams, and that’s what I am working for.”
The pair are expected to go head-to-head for the Ballon d’Or once again, with Ronaldo looking to collect his third successive award.
Barcelona were unstoppable last season, winning the treble under Luis Enrique but they’ve struggled to get back to their best this term and have been unfortunate with injuries.
The Catalan-based side host high-flying Eibar this weekend, with their visitors surpassing all expectations so far this season.