Barcelona legend Xavi has yet again lavished praise on former team-mate Lionel Messi, saying the Argentine is too good to be compared with any of his contemporaries.

Messi has been locked in a classic rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, with both players having won the Ballon d’Or five times. A new generation of players led by former Barcelona man Neymar have been talked up as the heirs to the duo’s throne – and in Neymar’s case, an equal rival already, as Messi’s ex-colleague has turned PSG into contenders for the Champions League.

Xavi, however, believes Messi is levels above anyone else in the game, and called such comparisons a “shame”. In a long-ranging interview with El Pais, the Blaugrana legend said Messi has an understanding of the game that is unmatched by any other player.

The Qatar-based star has been prone to exaggeration when it comes to talking about Messi – but the Argentine usually justifies the praise, given his worldly play ever since he made his Barcelona debut in 2004, six years after Xavi’s first appearance for the club.

Together, Xavi and Messi ushered in a new era for Barcelona, winning 25 trophies together in one of the most successful periods in the club’s history – one that continues in Xavi’s absence, after he left the Camp Nou in 2015.