It’s the off season but that has not stopped Barcelona President Sandro Rosell from taking a big swipe at bitter rivals Real Madrid and in particular Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho.
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper AS Rosell said:
“Cristiano Ronaldo is not the second best player in the world, he is the 12th. The first 11 are the Barcelona players.
“Outside Spain everyone is clear that Messi should win the Ballon d’Or.”
A pretty ludicrous statement from the Barcelona chief who was probably responding to Ronaldo’s dig about Barca star Lionel Messi last week.
Ronaldo was taunted by Danish fans at Euro 2012 who chanted “Messi, Messi, Messi” after he had missed two good chances against the Danes.
Ronaldo reacted angrily to the taunts, saying about the Messi chants:
“You know where he was at this time (last year)? Do you know? He was being eliminated in the Copa America, in his own country. I think that’s worse, no?”
Rosell was just getting warmed up with the Ronaldo jab as he then turned his attention to Madrid boss Jose Mourinho, saying that he would rather have Tito Vilanova managing his side than the “Special One”. Mourinho and Vilanova clashed during last season’s Spanish Supercopa when Mourinho appeared to poke his Barcelona counterpart in the eye.
“I wouldn’t accept a coach who wants to win at any cost. I would apologise if a coach put his finger in the eye of another,” he said.
Only two months until the two sides meet in the Spanish Super Cup. The build up to the first El Clasico’s of the season has began.
