Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has declared that Cristiano Ronaldo is not even in the top 10 footballers in the world as the best 11 play for the Catalan side, reports The Daily Mail.
Ronaldo had claimed that he deserved to be awarded the World Player of the Year accolade after guiding Real Madrid to the Liga title ahead of the Blaugrana but Rosell scoffed at his statement, insisting that there is only one man worthy of winning the Ballon d’Or, Lionel Messi.
‘Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t the second best player in the world, he is the 12th. The first 11 are Barca players,” Rosell claimed.
“Outside of Spain everyone is clear that Messi deserves to win the Ballon d’Or, but not here.”
The Argentine superstar had his best season to date for Barcelona, breaking the world record for the most goals scored in a single season with 73 in all competitions making him the forerunner to take the individual award for the fourth consecutive year.
Despite his side losing out on the title to Los Blancos, Messi also beat rival Ronaldo to the Pichici award for the league’s highest goal scorer, finding the net an unprecedented 50 times.
The two clubs will once again come face to face in August for the Spanish Super Cup in what will be Tito Vilanova’s first game in charge of the Catalans. He already has history with Jose Mourinho after the former Chelsea manager poked him in the eye in a touchline altercation, and Rosell continued by having a gibe at the Portuguese manager.
“I would not accept a manager who would win at any cost,” he added.
“I would ask for forgiveness if the manager of this club put their finger in anyone’s eye.”
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