Louis van Gaal says he believes Manchester City are better than Barcelona, but that Liverpool are better than both as the three sides chase the Champions League title this season. Liverpool currently lead the Premier League by two points over Manchester City, who maintain a game in hand on their title rivals. The English duo are also still alive in the Champions League, with Liverpool having toppled Bayern Munich in their round of 16 clash while Manchester City took down Schalke with ease. And van Gaal says both are better than a team many see as the favourite to win the competition, Barcelona.  "People think Barcelona are the best but they are not. Manchester City and Liverpool are more of a team than Barcelona - and Liverpool are more of a team than City," he told BBC. "In my philosophy, the best team shall win but I hope for City because they play the best football." Van Gaal managed Barcelona from 1997-2000 before returning to the club for another stint from 2002-03. During his stay in Catalonia, van Gaal won La Liga twice, a Copa del Rey and a UEFA Super Cup. Barcelona are set to take on van Gaal's former club, Manchester United, in the next round as they are set to face off April 10 in England before the return leg in Spain six days later. Van Gaal's last managerial job was his stay with Manchester United, a frustrating tenure that ended in 2016 just days after van Gaal won the FA Cup. Despite not returning to the game since, van Gaal says he has had other offers, but he is also content with his legacy as it stands. "I have a philosophy. I was convinced of it and by winning trophies in four countries, I proved the philosophy worked," he says. "But my legacy is bigger than just my results. I am also a relations coach, not only with my players but everyone in a club. "It is not my image but I am very human in that way. At Manchester United there were more than 40 people in the performance department. The medical department, the fans. They all had a heart for the club. I went to work as an analyst at a game at Liverpool and the United fans were still shouting my name. "I am proud people still like me. That is what is most important in life."

Carles Puyol has remained loyal to his Barcelona roots when placing Gerard Pique above Sergio Ramos and Virgil van Dijk in the pecking order of best centre-halves. As a Catalan native who spent his entire career on the Blaugrana’s books, it should come as no surprise to see the 40-year-old backing the cause of those at Camp Nou. He once figured alongside Pique in a trophy-laden era for Barca and is not about to nudge a former colleague from the top of the global pile. A World Cup winner does face fierce competition in the modern era for the title of finest on the planet, however. Netherlands international Van Dijk is starring for Liverpool, fellow countryman Matthijs de Ligt catching the eye and being named Golden Boy as a teenager at Ajax, while Ramos continues to lead by example for Real Madrid. Puyol, though, is in no doubt as to who is the pick of the bunch, telling Marca: “Gerard Pique, without a doubt.” Quizzed on whether Pique can be considered better than he was, a man who made 593 senior appearances for Barcelona added: “Yes, he's the best central defender in the world. “We're different. He is key to Barcelona in everything he contributes, in his leadership. He's a phenomenon and a great friend.” Pique is currently looking to play his part in the securing of more major silverware in 2018-19. Barca are back at the top of La Liga, through to the final of the Copa del Rey and last eight of the Champions League without being considered to have performed at their best. It has been suggested that there is an over-reliance on the mercurial talents of Lionel Messi at Camp Nou, with Puyol saying of those claims: “When you have the best player in history it's logical that you depend on him. “However, there have been great players around him who are making history too.” While eager to talk up the collective contribution at Camp Nou, Puyol has also sought to play down any suggestion that Messi places great emphasis on an individual battle with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Juventus superstar netted a Champions League hat-trick against Atletico Madrid recently, only to see Messi respond with a brace of his own 24 hours later and a stunning treble in La Liga action against Real Betis. “I don't believe Messi reacts to anything,” said Puyol. “It's just his way of playing, he's always decisive. To say Messi played well against Lyon because of Ronaldo's hat-trick just doesn't make sense. “In 10 matches where Messi plays, nine will be spectacular and the other one will just be very good.”

Antoine Griezmann has declared himself "a little bit fed up" of transfer speculation amid fresh talk he could leave Atletico Madrid for Barcelona. The World Cup winner mulled over his future last year before signing a contract extension with Atleti, having revealed his desire to stay in a documentary-style video. Suggestions the France international could still end up at Barca persist, though, with Atletico 10 points adrift of Ernesto Valverde's side in the La Liga title race. Griezmann scored in France's 4-0 win over Iceland in their Euro 2020 qualifier on Monday but he could still not avoid the topic of his club future. "I'm already used to it and a little bit fed up, every year it's the same, so I'm used to it," he told Univision when asked about the Barca speculation. Atletico face Barcelona next month but the chances of them winning the title now appear slim. Diego Simeone's side have already been knocked out of the Copa del Rey in the last 16 and suffered elimination at the same stage in the Champions League earlier this month. Atleti had beaten Juventus 2-0 in the first leg but then suffered a 3-0 loss in Turin, which dashed their hopes of reaching the final in their own stadium. "It was a bit hard [to take]," Griezmann admitted. "But I've always been confident. I know the team needs me and now we have to do a good end of the season." Griezmann’s decision to remain focused on the present, rather than the future, has the support of his international colleagues. Fellow World Cup winner Samuel Umtiti, who is already on the books of Barcelona, has told Telefoot of the speculation which continues to surround a 28-year-old frontman: "I know Antoine is very happy in Madrid, it's going well for him, it's a team that plays for him, and after that, in a career there are choices that we can take and that we can regret. "But I know he feels good there. He could play in any club around the world because of his qualities, whether in Barcelona or elsewhere, and be happy and successful."

Lionel Messi is “more technically gifted” than Cristiano Ronaldo, says Romario, but a Portuguese superstar is also “among the five best players in history”. Iconic figures now on the books of Barcelona and Juventus have spent more than a decade battling for top spot in the global pecking order. They have shared 10 Ballons d’Or between them, broken numerous records and collected countless individual and collective honours. Debate still rages, though, as to who can consider themselves to be the best. Personal opinion and allegiance shape the thinking of many, with it no surprise to see that World Cup winner Romario is a member of the Messi fan club. As a man with strong ties to Camp Nou, the former Barcelona striker was always going to side with a mercurial Argentine in Catalunya. The ex-Brazil international is an admirer of Ronaldo, but he considers the Portuguese’s eternal rival to shade things when it comes to natural ability and entertainment factor. Romario told Fox Sports Brasil: “I love Messi, he's great, but it must also be said Cristiano Ronaldo is among the five best players in history. “If I had to choose one to play with, I would stay with Messi. “He's more technically gifted, I'd rather see Leo than Cristiano.” Messi is among those to have followed in the footsteps of the legendary Barcelona sides that Romario formed part of under the guidance of Johan Cruyff. The club have always boasted strong ties to talented performers from South America and appear set to benefit from those skill sets in the years to come. Romario is, however, able to acknowledge the ability of others and is not surprised to have seen Ronaldo take up a standing alongside Messi in the modern day and all-time pecking order. He added on the 34-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward: “He's a very focused guy with undeniable talent. “It's necessary to celebrate him, he works to be the best. I think his evolution is a direct result of that work.” Ronaldo, who suffered an untimely knock on his most recent outing for Portugal, has netted 24 times in 36 appearances for Juventus this season. Messi, meanwhile, has found the target on 39 occasions across 37 games for Barcelona – although he too picked up an injury during the international break after returning to the Argentina fold for the first time since the 2018 World Cup.

Gareth Bale, Philippe Coutinho, Eric Dier and Raphael Varane would be dream additions for Manchester United this summer, says Phil Neville. The Red Devils are expected to spend big when the transfer window re-opens. It remains to be seen who will be calling the shots, with no decision taken as yet regarding the future of interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. If he does stay on, it has been suggested that the Norwegian will look to make at least four additions to the ranks at Old Trafford. Top talent from around the world will be targeted, with United eager to bring in proven performers and force their way back into contention for major honours. A sizeable budget will be given to whoever is at the helm, freeing them to bring in reinforcements across the field. Various options are already being mooted, with leading lights from the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A said to be in the Red Devils’ sights. Neville believes United will look to strengthen down their spine and has named the starting XI he would be looking for in 2019-20 if money were no object. There are plenty of familiar faces in his side, with David De Gea lining up between the sticks as “the best keeper in the world”. Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot take the full-back spots, although Neville was initially keen to put Juventus star Joao Cancelo on the right having previously worked with him at Valencia. He told Premier League Today, while also talking up a raid on Real Madrid for a World Cup-winning centre-half: “The two signings in the back four would be Varane from Real Madrid and Joao Cancelo from Juventus. “Cancelo, I worked with him at Valencia and have seen him at Juventus and I think he’s top drawer.” Varane would operate alongside Victor Lindelof at the heart of the back four, with the Sweden international having impressed in his second season at Old Trafford. Moving into midfield and Neville would like to see an England star acquired from rivals Tottenham and a former Liverpool playmaker returned to the Premier League from Barcelona to fill in alongside Paul Pogba. He added: “Eric Dier as the holding midfield player and Coutinho, who there has been a bit of speculation about. “You have to have British players in a title-winning team. [Ander] Herrera, Fred and [Scott] McTominay are part of the squad. [Nemanja] Matic, this season, has had a dip.” Marcus Rashford will lead the line for Neville’s new-look United, with Anthony Martial providing power and pace on the left. On the other side, the former Red Devils defender would favour a 29-year-old on the books at Real Madrid over a teenage winger making quite the name for himself with Borussia Dortmund and England. Neville said: “I’ve gone Bale. He’s ready-made. “Ole has said he wants to buy a hungry player. I think [Jadon] Sancho is that hungry player. But Bale has won Champions Leagues and played at the top level. “I don’t think wages are an issue at Manchester United. You are talking guaranteed quality who can play across the front line.”