‘Don’t compare him to the Juve No. 7 anymore’

Outspoken Italian international player Mario Balotelli was left both highly excited and impressed by Lionel Messi’s exploits in the first leg of Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League semifinal demolition of Liverpool.

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have held a duopoly over football's individual prizes for the last decade and the two have been fighting for important trophies for their club side. The Argentine promised at the beginning of the season that he wants to bring the Champions League back to the Camp Nou and has been in remarkable form in Europe’s elite competition scoring some magical goals that no other footballer can possibly replicate.

Lionel Messi’s talent is a significant cut above that of Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Mario Balotelli, with the Marseille star stating that the two should not even be mentioned in the same breath.

Balotelli took to social media last night after an unbelievable free-kick from Messi to deliver his support for the Argentine playmaker.

“For the love of football please do not compare him to the No.7 of Juventus anymore!” the Italy international wrote on a post published on his Instagram Stories.

In terms of this season, Messi is leading the way over Ronaldo in terms of goalscoring, with the Barcelona man now having scored 48 goals in all competitions in comparison to Ronaldo's 27 during his first campaign in Italy.

The pair are tied at 600 goals at club level with Messi reaching the mark in 118 less matches. Messi reached his 600th in 683 matches while Ronaldo is also on 600 from 801 matches. Comparisons between the two might keep going but their roles in their respective sides have been vastly different and perhaps Balotelli has a point.