I just don’t care about Messi and his mates! PETE JENSON

Ronaldo fires Barca broadside

CRISTIANO RONALDO took a swipe at Barcelona’s lionel Messi, luis Suarez and Neymar last night when asked if their bond off the pitch had given them the edge this season.

Real Madrid’s all-time record scorer even claimed that he did not speak to some of his most celebrated Manchester United colleagues off the pitch during his trophy-laden spell at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo had already been wound up by questions about his form and lack of away goals in recent games.

So when asked ahead of today’s Champions league clash at Roma if it was Messi’s relationship with Suarez and Neymar that had made them more effective than Real’s trio of Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale he did not hold back. ‘How do we know it is that way? Only because that is what gets written,’ he said.

‘I am going to tell you something. When I was at United, I didn’t speak to Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes or Rio Ferdinand, apart from the normal “good morning” — but we won the Champions league.

‘We talked on the pitch and that is all that mattered. does it matter that I don’t go out for dinner with Benzema or that Bale does not come round my house? It is not important. This thing about the little meals, the little hugs, the little kisses. To me that doesn’t mean anything.’

Ronaldo formed the most feared strikeforce in Europe with Bale and Benzema in the 2013- 14 season when they fired the club to their 10th European Cup.

But the following season they were eclipsed by Barcelona’s front three after Suarez arrived from liverpool to play alongside Messi and Neymar.

The trio scored 122 goals between them and the club won la liga, the Spanish Cup and Champions league. This season they have added the European Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup to the collection.

Ronaldo (below) appeared ruffled when asked about Messi’s penalty assist in the 6-1 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday. The Argentine rolled the ball from the spot into the path of Suarez, who fired home to complete his hat-trick.

‘I know why he did it and I am not going to say anything more than that. You can think whatever you like,’ said Ronaldo.

When his own form was questioned he told one reporter: ‘I would like to continue this form that you say is so bad until the end of the season.’

Ronaldo has scored 32 goals this season in 30 games for Real but in 15 of those matches he has failed to score, and his last 16 goals have all come at home. When asked about his dry run on the road he said: ‘Since I have been in Spain, name one player who has scored more goals than me away from home.’

When no one responded, he added: ‘You don’t have one,’ and got up from his seat next to surprised Real manager Zinedine Zidane and walked out of the press room before his answer could be translated into Italian.