Xavi: Cristiano Ronaldo has the numbers to win the Ballon d'Or

It appears that 36-year-old Xavi is extending an olive branch to the Portuguese superstar following a recent public spat between the pair – after Xavi once again reinstated his belief that ‘only people in Madrid’ put Ronaldo on the same level as his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi.

"Cristiano has the numbers to win this year's Ballon d'Or, having won the Champions League and the Euros [with Real Madrid and Portugal]," Xavi said.

"But I also think that it'll be very competitive, because Messi will be there, of course."

Xavi ended his 18-year spell in Catalonia last summer as he joined Qatari outfit Al Sadd.

In August, Ronaldo was named UEFA Best Player in Europe ahead of Madrid teammate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann.