"Ronaldo has goals, dribbling, pace and a winning mentality but also he over-complicates things," Xavi said in the Daily Express. "He feels so superior to everybody, and rightly so, that he tries things that are unnecessary.

"He could be a much better player if he was here, playing with us. I have a soft spot for him. I would love him to join us.

"I feel that at the moment he doesn't get as much pressure, as many demands, as he would get here. In England, if you do a couple of things right, people talk about you being a legend.

"Here if you don't control a ball properly or if you kick the ball into the stands, people hate you. So you have to become a better player.

"Along with Lionel Messi, Ronaldo is the best player in the world. In fact he is in front of Leo in terms of influence in a game. The kid has everything. We are talking about physical and technical football."