Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova has paid tribute to Lionel Messi.

Messi broke Gerd Muller's record of most goals in a calendar year on the weekend.

"Leo Messi great virtue is that he does as a professional exactly the same things that he did as a kid, and that's a difficult thing to do … Given who he is today and what there is yet to come, he is one of the greats in FC Barcelona history," said Vilanova.

On Sunday, Messi will be up against Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao and Vilanova commented: "Leo is always motivated, and I don't think it will be any special motivation for him to be playing against Falcao."