Barcelona star Sergio Busquets has warned that comparing Raheem Sterling to Lionel Messi isn’t helpful for the Manchester City and England hero.
Sterling has been tipped to reach the level of Messi by some, while City legend Trevor Sinclair reckons he’s already there.
But although midfielder Busquets admits to being a fan, the comparison doesn’t sit well with him.
After all, he has played alongside Messi since 2005 and won everything there is to win with the five-time world player of the year.
“Look, Sterling is a player with a big profile and a big potential,” he said. “But comparing him to Leo Messi seems very exaggerated and not positive for the player.
“What is true is that each one is playing a very big role in his club. He is a good player and can also have a lot of influence on the English national team.
“As far as the Champions League is concerned, Manchester City is always one of the candidates. But Barcelona , with Messi, is the favourite for me.”
Sterling’s progress has been so dramatic since moving to City that Sinclair believes he is already a challenger for the title of best in the world.
“If he’s not worth £200m now, I’d be surprised,” he said. “The big question now is where do you put him with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo? I would put him right among them.”
When it comes to challenging Messi for world player of the year in 2020, however, Busquets has different suggestions.
“Mo Salah had a great season and Cristiano Ronaldo also won trophies.”
