Luis Suarez Rates Lionel Messi Above Cristiano Ronaldo Ahead of El Clasico
Luis Suarez has praised Lionel Messi as "the best player in the world" ahead of Saturday's Clasico fixture with Real Madrid, rating the Barcelona maestro above Cristiano Ronaldo.
As reported by the Mirror and via Stefan Coerts of Goal.com, Suarez is in no doubt who should receive the most plaudits:
"In my opinion Leo is better (than Ronaldo). I train and play with Leo every day and he surprises me every day. He is unique. Everybody knows what he has brought to Barcelona, what kind of world-class player he is. For me he is the best player in the world for what he has already done, and he’s still so young.
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Similar to Carlo Ancelotti outlining Ronaldo as the greatest, it doesn't come as a surprise to hear Suarez heap praise on his colleague. It would be a gutsy, if not idiotic, move to suggest otherwise with a Clasico fixture on the horizon, particularly as Suarez needs to find a sense of unity with his Barca team-mates after his controversial summer and previous happenings with Liverpool.
The Uruguayan striker's four-month ban—inflicted due to his decision to bite Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup—comes to an end in time for Saturday's kick-off. His competitive Barca debut will likely take place at the Bernabeu, the home of the Camp Nou side's great rivals, providing an intriguing sub-plot to the usual Messi vs. Ronaldo affair.
Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalgish told Barca fans what they can look forward to, per the club's official Twitter account:
Suarez will certainly hope he can replicate the form of either when he kicks into gear. Messi has scored seven and assisted seven in eight La Liga matches this season, per WhoScored.com. He averages an impressive 3.5 key passes per game and takes 4.6 shots at goal in each appearance.
Ronaldo has scored a stunning 15 goals in seven league fixtures this campaign. The Portuguese player is more of an individual when assessing numbers only, assisting just one and registering 2.7 key passes per match, per WhoScored.
He tests the opposition's goalkeeper an average of seven times each match, highlighting the difference between the two players rather succinctly. Both have the capability to win the Clasico for their sides.
Suarez's numbers will likely slot in somewhere down the middle. He loves to shoot from ambitious angles, but he is excellent at bringing his team-mates into play. His 31 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League last season defines a star who has the quality to lace the headlines with his name come the end of Saturday's showdown.
