Lionel Messi's response to Edinson Cavani after being asked "Do you want to fight?"

Lionel Messi made his feelings to known to Edinson Cavani after being offered to fight and confidently replied to his South American rival: "Whenever you want".

Argentina and Uruguay played a friendly match in Israel on Monday night, but tensions between the two forwards boiled over when they almost came to blows.

Uruguay international Cavani offered to fight superstar Messi during his country's friendly against the Argentines in Israel on Monday night.

Messi is reported to have replied "whenever you want" to the challenge as a scuffle broke out after the Barcelona legend was on the receiving end of a tough tackle.

Edinson Cavani and Lionel Messi clash (AFP via Getty Images)

Luiz Suarez, Messi's Barca teammate, split up the duo as they continued to bicker in the tunnel.

Diego Godin also tried to act as a peacemaker as he put his arm around Messi to try and bring a sense of calm to the situation.

Despite it being an ugly moment in a 2-2 draw - which saw Messi, Cavani, Suarez and Sergio Aguero all get on the scoreboard - the Paris Saint-Germain ace insisted it was part of a fractious match.

Cavani told TyC Sports : "It's part of football, Clasicos are like this.

Cavani offered to fight Messi (AFP via Getty Images)

"The truth is that it was at times a game that had friction, there were challenges and things that are part of football, especially of South American [football].

"We take positives from our performance and the fact that we were able to score two goals. We still need to improve but it's good to end the year like this."

On the pitch, Messi converted an added-time penalty as Argentina salvaged a 2-2 draw against their South American rivals Uruguay in a friendly in Tel Aviv.

Messi converted an added-time penalty as Argentina salvaged a 2-2 draw (REUTERS)

Three days after marking his return from a three-month international ban by scoring the winner against Brazil, Messi once again underscored his value to his country.

He floated a precise 63rd-minute free-kick from which Sergio Aguero headed home to cancel out Edison Cavani's 34th-minute opener for the home side.

And after Luis Suarez put Uruguay back in front from a set-piece, Messi's persistence paid off after Martin Caceres had been harshly penalised for handball in the box.