Messi draws first blood

Lionel Messi drew first blood ahead of the Champions League final with a snide remark on Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Barca winger knows that if Barca beat Manchester United for the European title, he will most likely end up World Player of the Year.

If his team loses, Ronaldo will most likely retain the coveted award.

Messi said: "Nobody plays to be the best player in the world. This is a team game. I don't see it as a tussle between Cristiano and me. It will be a Barca-Manchester battle.

"What is important is that Barcelona are champions of Europe on May 27 in Rome.

"If we are champions it will certainly help me, but this is secondary."

The Argentine superstar is determined that his team come out tops as he sees it as a chance to write himself into Barca's history books.

"I want the Treble. We will be the best Barcelona of all time and we're 90 minutes away from doing that.

"It's an opportunity to write ourselves in the history books." he added.

Barca boss Pep Guardiolas has already made it known that he will wrap his star striker in cotton wool until the finals but Messi would much rather see some playing time.

"I don't know how I'm going to spend all those days without being able to play - it seems ages just thinking about it.

"But I will come back with batteries fully charged and I will be at the top of my game in Rome.

"We're giving it everything we've got. The team is focused."