”Winning the Champions League interests me more than anything. I’m dreaming of Barcelona becoming the Champions League winners. And, at least until 27 May, no-one can take that dream away from me.”

This is a declaration from Barcelona’s Argentine Supertar Lionel Messi.

On May 27, the world will be watching the Catalan giants clash against the Red Devils of Manchester in Rome. And of course, the most delightful scene will feature Fifa’s Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and runner-up Lionel Messi in different zones on the same field.

Lionel Messi – a content Barcelona player who has been in this club before the age of 16 – has revealed some admiration for the English, European and World Champions Manchester United, and especially for their Portuguese Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

”If you go through the whole squad, you’d be hard pushed to know which player to choose if you had to pick just one.

”But clearly you have to start with Cristiano, a great forward who can gambetea (a word in South America referring to the ability of dribbling with stratagems, checks, swings, and tricks) with speed and ease.

”And he has a great medium-range shot. We’re conscious that in Rome we can’t give him time to think or get a shot in from distance. He’s a great footballer.”

Written by: Angela Asante