Lionel Messi brushes off Cristiano Ronaldo’s call and urges Neymar to return to Barcelona

Messi laughed off Ronaldo's challenge to join him in Serie A, asking why he would leave ‘the best team in the world’

Lionel Messi has brushed off Cristiano Ronaldo’s jibes to join him in Italy and encouraged his former teammate Neymar to return to the Nou Camp.

Ronaldo had urged Messi to join him in Serie A after the Portuguese star’s £100m move to Juventus, taunting him by saying, “I played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal, in the national team, while he is still in Spain. Maybe he needs me more...I would like him to come to Italy one day. Like me, accept the challenge.”

However in an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, Messi laughed off Ronaldo’s comments.

“Accepting Ronaldo’s challenge to join Italian football? I don’t need any change,” Messi said.

“I’m at the best team in the world. My challenges are renewed year after year.

Ronaldo urged Messi to join him in Serie A (Getty)

“I do not need to change teams or leagues to set new goals. I am at home and I do not need to change.”

Barcelona are currently three points clear at the top of La Liga, with Messi having already scored 21 goals and added 13 assists in 20 appearances this season – almost twice Ronaldo’s return in Italy.

However, with Luis Suarez admitting that he’s prepared for his time at the club to come to an end as the striker nears his 32^nd birthday, Messi did again profess his love for a potential reunion with Neymar.

The prospect of the Brazilian’s return to Barcelona, having left for PSG for €222 million in the summer of 2017, has been touted throughout this season, however, it’s unclear if the Catalan club could subsidise such an exorbitant fee.

Messi has urged Neymar to return to the Nou Camp on a number of occasions (Getty)

“I think it’s complicated,” Messi continued.

“We would love for him to come back for what it would mean, as much as a player as for the dressing room.

“We are friends, we had great moments, others not so much, but we passed a lot of time together.

“However it looks very hard for him to leave Paris. PSG won’t let him quit.”