The initial Barcelona comment was praising suarez by saying wrongly that he achieved something in a superior manner to Ronaldo as if that matters. As it turned out it was wrong but it's a fairly standard thing to read, the comparison always needs to be made for some reason if it is to the advantage of Barcelona.

I'm not a Man Utd fan for the record but I shouldn't have to justify that to talk about Spanish football.

Evidence please.

Messi got 24 goals and 16 assists having missed 2 months. He also gave Suarez and Neymar the opportunity to take probably 10+ penalties, had he played all season and taken the penalties as well he'd probably have about 40 goals as well. What I've seen from Messi this year and since Jan last year, is that his ego is less with Neymar and Suarez around, he's more happy to share the goals. When he had the likes of Pedro, Sanchez and Villa around him, he was a bit greedy to be honest. This may be the new Messi, the one who drops deep and threads defence splitting passes more so than before.

Messi's team won the league. For the eighth time.

Plus all what the poster above said too, which actually makes my point for me. Messi is still clearly the best player in the world, never mind just at Barca, and could probably still have scored 50+ goals if he really went for it, but he's smart enough to know it's not necessarily in the team's best interest to do so. So if you're actually watching games as opposed to just going on goal tallies, it should be obvious that his "much decreased return" isn't in the slightest bit an issue.

Correct. Messi's role is slighty different now. His goal return has decreased but his overall influence on games is just as high as ever.

I think his always been about the team first. I remember Mourinho making mention in the world Cup and how Messi was sacrificing his own game for the benefit of the Argentinian side.

Personal accolades are all good but players want to end careers with titles.

I won't say Ronaldo is all about him and doesn't care if Madrid don't win titles as I don't think any player is like that. However his goal hungry (not a bad thing),. He lives to score goals. That desire to keep scoring as many as possible hasn't decreased one iota. The only player who comes close to that hunger for goals in Suarez.

I've always said I consider Messi's 72/91-goal season/year was probably his worst, and I don't think it's a coincidence that it was also one of the team's worst years trophy-wise. to date, it's the only time I've seen him seeming to chase goals and records, and while it was fun seeing what he could achieve when he really put his mind to it, the team suffered as a result. I'll take this decreased-returning Messi any day of the week.

with Suarez, I think it's even more of a hunger to win than just scoring goals. his work-rate and desire are just incredible. never stops getting into goalscoring positions, making runs to create opening for either himself or a team-mate, closing down the opposition, basically whatever it takes to try and influence a game, no matter how well or terribly he himself is playing.

Barcelona these days are playing different to when Guardiola was manager, so Messi has to play a different role and thats why he does not score as many goals as he used to. The team is designed not to get the best out of Messi, It is the designed to get the best out of Suarez Neymar amd Messi but mainly Suarez and that is why he is their top goalscorer

are you not just making my point for me then? he could quite easily score a lot more goals if he decided to try and Enrique allowed him to (maybe even if Enrique objected too). but both parties are able to recognise that it isn't necessarily in the team's interest to do so.

My initial comments on this subject were not meant to be in any way a dig at either Messi or Barcelona. I think Messi is possibly the best player ever to play the game and his goals and general play back that up, as do the trophies he has won.

My issue was the constant back biting that goes on whenever Barcelona "fans" on the internet talk about Barcelona. Its never just a celebration of their achievement, there always has to be some form of dig at Ronaldo thrown in for reasons unknown. Suarez has a season that makes him the first viable alternative to the big two for the world footballer of the Year and instead of just being happy with that it has to come with trying to downplay any achievement Ronaldo has had.

My point about Messi's reduced goal tally wasn't me having a go at him either just pointing out that it wouldn't get a mention. Perhaps if Real Madrid had a Suarez and Neymar to play alongside Ronaldo there wouldn't be the same focus on him. There are only so many goals a club can score - Suarez scores more means Messi scores less. If Real are looking at their options and they don't feel that Benzema or whomever can cover the shortfall if Ronaldo's role was altered then there isn't much point in altering it. Nevertheless that wasn't what I was saying anyway.

I suppose its just an attempt to create a rivalry from afar and be seen to join in.

Antonio di Natale finally retires. Love the guy and wish him well in his retirement. Hope he goes into coaching.

yeah it must be that...

it really wasn't that serious, but then the name Ronaldo is a dog-whistle for some on here that just can't wait to get all bent out of shape, it seems.

As is the opportunity for some to get the dig in, in the first place it seems. So much so that they get their facts wrong in their eagerness to do so.

No Costa or mata in the spain squad

Not sure if that's a shock or not, not had the best of seasons I guess.

quite

Diego Costa really made a cracking decision to switch from Brazil to Spain.

Yes i suppose so. I don't know so much abiut Spain's strength in depth in their positions

Feel awfully sorry for the lad!

Spain have also left out Alcacer who was their top scorer in qualifying and gone with Nolito who's yet to score for them and 35-year old Aduriz. I don't follow La Liga closely enough to know, is that a sensible selection?

They've also got Vasquez of Madrid in there who's yet to be capped. When I first saw the selection I immediately thought it looked weak but will admit to not really knowing enough to properly comment.

Aduriz has had a blinding season, and it took ages for Del Bosque to call him up when it should have been done ages ago. Nolito gives a bit of unpredictability that Spain otherwise don't really have. on his day, he can really pull good teams apart.

Alcacer hasn't been very good this season, so good to see Del Bosque finally picking on form rather than sticking with names regardless.

I'd like to see Del Bosque be a bit more adventurous at the Euros. I said before the world cup they'd be vulnerable to the counter attack, too much emphasis on keeping the ball in the midfield cost them.

Is he in the final 23? Or has he just been called up to the preliminary squad?

Two players to be cut yet I think.