Eurosport –
Barcelona star Lionel Messi said he would pay to watch Manchester United‘s Cristiano Ronaldo, while Gerard Pique claims an in-form Wayne Rooney is unstoppable.
Barca face United in the Champions League final in Rome on Wednesday, and much has been made of the Spanish Champions’ attacking threat that features a forward trio of Messi, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o and midfielders Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Yaya Toure.
The front three in particular have been on fire this season, scoring over 100 goals between them, but Messi has pointed to United’s potency in front of goal.
“Manchester United have quality everywhere,” Messi told the Daily Mail. “So many good players. But if I had to pick one out it would be Ronaldo.
“He is a player I would pay to watch.
“He and I are very different players but he is unbelievable, very special, and it will not be easy to stop him.
“But we must not pay all attention to him and forget about (Dimitar) Berbatov, Rooney and Carlos Tevez.
“Manchester United have players all over the pitch who can punish you in the same way we have.”
Former United stopper Pique, meanwhile, believes that on his day Rooney is impossible to shackle.
“When he is focused he is simply unstoppable,” said Barca stopper Pique, who is expected to start against his former club.
“I have never seen a player as powerful as Rooney – the way he goes past people, the intensity of his play, the runs he makes from the first minute to last and the shot that he has. World class.
“Perhaps he does not get the credit he deserves because he should score more goals, but he offers so much.”
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