Injured Barcelona star Lionel Messi has failed to rule out
leaving the Treble winners in the future, and has denied
he is in competition with Ballon d'Or rival Cristiano
Ronaldo.
Messi, 28, was linked with Chelsea in January amid
reports of an alleged fallout with Barca coach Luis
Enrique, but went on to score 58 goals last season to
help the Blaugrana win La Liga, the Champions League
and Copa de Rey.
Asked whether he could ever see himself playing in
another league, the Argentina captain -- who was ruled
out of action for seven to eight weeks in late
September with a knee injury -- told Yahoo Sports: "I
don't want to look too far ahead. I live for the moment
and at this moment I am with Barcelona in the Spanish
league where I have made my living and where I live
very well."
The Barca talisman is one of the favourites for the 2015
Ballon d'Or but faces strong competition from Real
Madrid star Ronaldo, with the Portugal captain having
lifted the award on the past two occasions.
Despite talk of a rivalry between the pair, Messi insists
Ronaldo -- who hit a career-best of 61 goals for Los
Blancos last term and recently became Madrid's all-top
top scorer -- is not his nemesis.
"These are things that people say," the three-time Ballon
d'Or winner said. "I don't compete with Cristiano and I
suppose he would not compete with me. What I want is
the very best for my teams and that's what I am
working for.
"[I'm] the same as any other sportsman that has to
complete his training regime and then do just the same
as any other person does and rest with his family and
friends."
Messi tore the internal collateral ligament of his left
knee early in Barca's 2-1 La Liga win against Las
Palmas on Sept. 26, and is currently out of action.
Regarding his enforced absence, Messi said: "[The
injury] was a strange feeling, different from other times.
I knew that it wasn't a minor hit and that it was
something more serious than just a slight knock.
"[I'm] upbeat, wanting to get on with my recovery. Being
injured is the worst feeling in the world for a sportsman,
but right from the start I accepted that I had an injury
and that the only thing to do was to recover from it the
best way possible. The most important thing for me is to
be at 100 percent fitness.
"I knew I was injured right from the start, and although
at first you are obviously worried, after the diagnosis
and all the repercussions emanating from the injury you
understand that you have to be patient. I don't think it
was difficult for me to accept and take on board."
Messi is optimistic about his return date, saying: "When
the way I'm feeling and the doctors tell me that I can. I
am improving every day without setting myself any
targets. I have always said that I don't set myself any
dates because it isn't up to me. As much as I would like
to play tomorrow, the doctors wouldn't let me. When
they tell me that I have recovered completely will be the
time that I will make my return onto the pitch."
Nutritionist Giuliano Poser confirmed in July he helped
Messi change his diet which led to the forward's fine
2014-15 campaign, but Messi said there were no
extraordinary changes.
"This is something else about which there has been
many false things said," he continued. "My diet prohibits
me from eating certain things that were doing me harm
but that doesn't mean that I've changed my whole diet
or my physical training.
"There were some changes or replacements that worked
well and I enjoy a full diet and nothing out of the
ordinary."
Messi said that the birth of his second son Mateo in
September has not changed his approach to football, but
helps him to move beyond the game when away from
the pitch.
"In a footballing sense nothing has changed but perhaps
maybe it has in regards to facing those responsibilities
that any father has with regards to the raising of his
children," he added. "I still hate losing a game, but when
I arrive home I do know that I will have the consolation
of seeing my sons.
"Unfortunately we live in a society that lives at 1,000
kilometres an hour, and in a sport as popular as football
that grows and grows and becomes the escape valve for
the problems of many people.
"I don't need to impress anyone because that isn't why I
play. I play because I like it and because it is my
profession... I would like my sons to understand what I
do."
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