Jorge Sampaoli Compares Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez to Real Madrid's 'BBC'

Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli has quipped that Barcelona trio Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are so good they should be banned from playing by FIFA, and he believes they are better than their Real Madrid counterparts Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.  

According to Sam Morgan of the Sun, Sampaoli joked: "FIFA must intervene. The friendship between Leo, Neymar and Suarez is the worst thing that has happened to football. Leo alone can win a game. If, in addition, he empowers Suarez and Neymar, that is invaluable. They should ban it."

The Argentinian was less kind in his assessment of Los Blancos' so-called "BBC," though, adding: "The difference with Madrid is that Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema do not enhance each other but are neutralised. If Ronaldo starts a move it ends with him, if Bale does it's the same. Benzema grabs what he can but does not create anything."

As Morgan noted in his report, Barca's "MSN" have outscored their rivals in all competitions this season, netting 67 times compared with the BBC's 60. Of course, with the Blaugrana progressing further in the Copa del Rey and taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup, they've had slightly more opportunities to rack up the goals.

Francisco seco/Associated Press

Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo have edged out their rivals thus far in the league, though, per Squawka Football:

Last year, Barca's attacking trident were in simply unstoppable form, and as Betfred revealed on Twitter, no one came close to their goalscoring exploits.

Indeed, Spanish football experts Sergi Dominguez and Rafael Hernandez believe all three should have been on the podium for the 2015 Ballon d'Or—as did Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben:

After Barca's 4-0 demolition of Real Sociedad in November—which incidentally came just one week after they enjoyed the same scoreline against Madrid at the Bernabeu—football journalist Sid Lowe hailed the trio and their unrivalled chemistry:

Indeed, while Real's front three are capable of combining majestically on occasion, there have been a number of matches this season in which all three have cut isolated and frustrated figures—the aforementioned Clasico match being a prime example.

Meanwhile, Messi, Neymar and Suarez link up so regularly and so incisively that creating such magic is practically second nature to them.

The three made Barca virtually unstoppable last year, as they won a stunning five trophies from the six competitions in which they competed. If they can stay fit, then 2016 may well prove to be a similar story.