The Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell, has said that Cristiano Ronaldo would not get into the Barça starting XI, claiming the Real Madrid winger is only the “12th best player in the world”.

Ronaldo this week took offence when the Danish fans at Euro 2012 chanted “Messi, Messi, Messi” after he had missed two good chances against the Danes and Rosell has now risked to further anger the player.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is not the second best player in the world, he is the 12th. The first 11 are the Barcelona players,” Rosell said, according to Spanish paper AS. He added: “Outside Spain everyone is clear that Messi should win the Golden Ball, but here …”

Fanning the anger
The Barcelona president also had a dig at the Real Madrid manager, José Mourinho, saying he would much rather have Tito Vilanova in charge at this club.

Referring to an incident when Mourinho and Vilanova clashed after a clásico, Rosell said: “I wouldn't accept a coach who wants to win at any cost. I would apologise if a coach put his finger in the eye of another.”

Ronaldo reacted badly after the game against Denmark, saying about the Messi chants: “You know where he was at this time [last year]? Do you know? He was being eliminated in the Copa América, in his own country. I think that’s worse, no?”

Argentina, in fact, reached the quarter-finals of that tournament while Ronaldo went on to score two goals in Portugal's decisive Group B game against Holland.