Lionel Messi would hate the sight of former Barcelona teammate Neymar playing for the Catalan club’s bitter rivals, Real Madrid.

Messi and Neymar played together for four years, forming one of the world’s deadliest strike trios alongside Luis Suarez, before the Brazilian left for Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

However, Neymar has seemed unsettled in the French capital, and there has been widespread speculation all season long that he could return to Spain, but turning out for Madrid instead, although newly-appointed PSG boss Thomas Tuchel has insisted the Ligue 1 champions’ star player will not be sold.

“It would be terrible to see Neymar at Real Madrid because of everything he means to Barcelona,” Messi told TyC Sports. “It would be a big blow for all the fans.”

Messi, who is widely regarded as one of the best players in history, if not the best, says he is more concerned about his current performance than his place in football’s honour roll.

“I’m not interested in being the best ever.

“I’ve never said that I am, not first, second, third, or fourth.

“Every time I start a new year I try to improve myself, win everything, leave everything on the pitch, and give all I have both for my team-mates and for myself.”