Nothing but respect: Lionel Messi's comments about Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been the light shining through the darkness of Manchester United since his return to Old Trafford, adapting to the Premier League is not an hard task for him as he started scoring immediately he stepped on the pitch, he now has nine goals in 14 matches for United.

Lionel Messi commended his long term rival, when he was asked about how his long-term rival with Ronaldo had been getting on especially after his return to Manchester United. 

He has this to say "United are a very strong team with great players. Cristiano already knew the club, but that was at another stage and now he has adapted in an impressive way," Messi told Marca.

"From the beginning, he has scored goals as always and had no problems adapting. In the Premier League, it is not as good as we all thought, but it is a very difficult and even competition in which things take a lot of turns. "After December it changes a lot and anything can happen."

He was asked whether he missed competing with Cristiano Ronaldo on a regular basis, he said "It's been a long time since we stopped competing in the same league. "We competed individually and as a team for the same goals. It was a very beautiful stage for us and also for the people because they enjoyed it very much. It is a beautiful memory that will remain in the history of football."