Laporta lavishes praise on Messi

Lionel Messi is a 'genius' and already the best player in the world, according to Barcelona supremo Joan Laporta.

Messi was instrumental in Barcelona's demolition of Bayern Munich although he was unlucky to be booked for diving.

He has 19 goals in La Liga this season and has been sensational in Josep Guardiola's team with a number of superb individual goals.

The 21-year-old finished as runner up to Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2008 Ballon d'Or voting, but Laporta claims personal glory will come once the Catalan giants claim silverware.

"It depends on the results of the team," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"But Messi is definitely already the best player in the world because he's a genius.

"Players like him only come around once every 30 years."