Barcelona star Lionel Messi: I don't compete with Cristiano Ronaldo... and I suppose he doesn't either 

  • Lionel Messi refuses to compete with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo 
  • The duo have been compared their whole careers about who is superior 
  • But Messi said he's only concentrating on being successful with his teams 

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 his rival Ronaldo scoring six goals in eight games in La Liga this season, Messi insists the pair don't compete with each other.

Lionel Messi has played down the rivalry between himself and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying they don't compete

Lionel Messi has played down the rivalry between himself and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying they don't compete

The Real Madrid star is looking to win his third successive Ballon d'Or at the expense of the Argentinian 

The Real Madrid star is looking to win his third successive Ballon d'Or at the expense of the Argentinian 

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 the their best this term and have been unfortunate with injuries.

The Catalan-based side host high-flying Eibar on Sunday, with their visitors surpassing all expectations so far this season.

The 28-year-old has been forced to watch from the stands in recent weeks following his knee injury 

The 28-year-old has been forced to watch from the stands in recent weeks following his knee injury 

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