MESSI IS BETTER THAN RONALDO  ..DE BOER

Ajax Amsterdam coach Frank De Boer believes Lionel Messi could have a great impact in this weekend's 'El Clasico' if he is declared fit for action.

Messi has been out with a knee ligament injury since Barcelona's 2-1 La Liga victory over Las Palmas in December, but could make a return ahead of this weekend's clash with rival Real Madrid.
While away, Neymar and Luis Suarez have done a sterling job in keeping the goals flowing, while also helping Barca top the league standings after 11 games.
De Boer has tipped Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo as the best in the world, and the former Dutch international believes the Argentine captain could give Barca the edge if he plays in this weekend's Spanish league derby.
"For me, my personal best player is Messi because he can do almost everything and so if I have to choose one as my favourite it's Messi," De Boer told Omnisport.
"But Ronaldo, I take my hat off to him, because if you can manage to score so many goals every year and never be injured, I think you're also one of the best.
"So it's hard to choose, but if I have to pick one then I will take Messi. I like him more because he gives more.
"He gives 40 assists also in a year and [scores] fifty goals, and that I like very much about him."
The former Barcelona left-back competed in nine 'Clasicos' during 1999 and 2003, and is well aware of the magnitude of, as well as the build-up to, Saturday's fixture.
"First of all you have the history, with Catalonia – the independence they want of course," he added.
"They are probably the two biggest teams in the world to play on one soil so it's so massive, 90-100,000 people in the stadium.
"The hatred between Real Madrid and Barcelona, you feel the tension. If you are for [either team] they are already talking about the Clasico four weeks before and they start with two pages [in the newspapers] every day.
"Then suddenly it gets more – five, six – and at the end of the week before it's 20 pages about the Clasico. That you cannot imagine, it's so special."
The Catalan side currently lead Madrid by three points on the log, and a win at the Bernabeu on Saturday could see Los Blancos go ahead of Barca on goal difference.