This (last week red.) has been a very special week for me. Being made an honorary president of FC Barcelona gives me a lot of pride and satisfaction. It’s an honorary position and nobody should expect me to meddle in the signing of new players.

This is a translation of Johan Cruyff’s weekly article written for El Periodico.  The original version can be found @ElPeriodico.com.

The current Champions League format now calls for a two-legged tournament. Within the span of 10 days you’ll either win or lose. The League competition is another story. It’s a long tournament based on consistency. With nine matches left, I’m still incapable of betting on FC Barcelona or Real Madrid winning it.

One thing I do know is that, as things stand now, both teams deserve to be champions. With the amount of goals scored, the amount of points accumulated (an amazing 74 out of a possible 87), each team has its strengths and weaknesses, and it’s a shame that there can’t be two champions this year. It’s very possible that the champion will have set a record for points earned within a season. And if that doesn’t happen it’ll be because one of the two teams will start losing a lot of points quickly.

In the end only one team can win. The sad part is that many people will judge the second placed team as the loser. For me, who doesn’t care if my team conceded three goals as long as they scored four, this year there won’t be a loser at the end of the season. No, because if scoring goals is the most important criteria in football, each team has scored so much that it’s an impressive feat.

Madrid isn’t exactly my team but I respect them for their effort and what is yet to come. Sunday was another showing of their strength (2-3 win over Atletico Madrid). Once again they went down a goal early and once again they came from behind to win. Their football, from some perspectives, isn’t the most aesthetic but it is explosive and devastating.  A virtue that Pelligrini knows how to exploit, convinced that it’s the best way to get to the top.

Real Madrid's players celebrate a second goal during the La Liga match against Atletico de Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, on March 28, 2010.

A NOBLE SECOND PLACE

Madrid has had to make a huge investment, breaking transfer records to be able to go toe to toe with Barcelona. And that doesn’t assure them anything because Barca is also having a record setting season. In the end, Barca’s merit is that it has not lowered its determination, and is able to keep up with Madrid even after having won everything last year. That is why I don’t like calling any one of these two the loser. The team that comes in second place might have scored more points than any other Liga winners of seasons past.

There are as many comparisons as one could want to debate between Madrid and Barcelona. But be careful with the individual comparisons. It’s a mistake to compare Messi with Cristiano Ronaldo. Even though they are both great players, they are two completely different kind of footballers. The comparison made between Messi and Maradona is also absurd. Even worse is that footballers are often compared with disdain for one or the other. How can we say with any surety that one is better than the other?  They aren’t even from the same generation nor playing the same type of football. If the reasons for comparisons are to fill newspapers and TV time, then what are they going to do?

But if someone seriously insists on making these assessments, they must not let the excitement of the moment influence their conclusion. One has already finished his career. The other, because of his age, still has a long way to go. Maradona impressed a lot of people and it was a pleasure to watch him play.

Now, with Messi, the entire world, without exception, feels proud to be able to watch him on a daily basis. Maradona was phenomenal and he did incredible things. Messi is doing those things now. Enjoy watching him play and leave him in peace because comparisons can only lead to problems. More importantly, today’s youngsters should try to emulate him because he has a lot he can teach. This, and his exemplary behavior, is what is more important to me at this point. I’m not worried about whether or not he’ll be the best in the history of the game. I just hope he has a long career in which he can become a legend.

Lionel Messi runs with the ball, while being surrounded by several Manchester United players during the Champions League final 2009.

WITHOUT PERSONAL GAIN

The Messi-Maradona comparison isn’t bad for Messi, it’s just absurd. His priority should be to take care of himself and others should do the same so that the world can enjoy his quality for years to come.

Here, I would also like to state that I have agreed to accept the title of honorary president of FC Barcelona because in my opinion, Laporta has no intention of using it for any personal gain. How could it benefit him if he is the only person that can’t run for president on June 13^th? Or to put it in another way, what do the elections have to do with naming someone for this post or the chosen moment to do so?

IN THE BACKGROUND

The post is purely symbolic, and because of that nobody should expect to see me intervening in signings. That is the job of the coaches and the technical secretary, not the honorary president. An honour that makes me very happy. The best part has been receiving congratulatory messages from around the world over the past few days – another example of Barcelona being a world renowned club. To be spoken of in the same breath as Di Stefano, Charlton and Beckenbauer is a real honour because they are great people with great qualities.

Johan Cruyff during his playing days for FC Barcelona.