Cruyff: Don´t write off Barca yet

Johan Cruyff ridiculed suggestions that Barcelona have no chance of winning the La Liga title this season.

The Dutch legend saw his former club slip six points behind leaders Real Madrid following Saturday’s surprise 1-0 defeat at Getafe.

Cruyff, though, believes that reports of Barca’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

“It seems that most people do not see the games and do not know of the quality of Barcelona,” Cruyff told Sport.

“One thing I can assure is that the league championship does not finish on December 30 but late May. There are (still) five titles that the club (Barca) can win.”

Cruyff also argued that it is Xavi and not his Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi who should land this year’s Fifa Ballon d’Or.

“Choosing the best player goes by taste, not positions,” the former Barcelona forward said.

“Messi, in his category and in the things he does, is exceptional in every way, (and) has won it a couple of times. But if Messi has won twice, Xavi deserves it now.”

“(It is) not because he is better; that is absurd, since it would be the same with Cristiano (Ronaldo) and Messi – you cannot compare.”

“Everything depends on how you look at football, and you can also add (Andres) Iniesta. They are different players with different roles who are all entitled to win.”

“Luckily, I do not have to vote.”

Cruyff is a legendary figure at the Camp Nou, having played five seasons with Barcelona during his stint as a player before leading the Catalans to their first European Cup success in 1992 during his eight-year tenure as manager.