Messi and Ronaldo back as Liga campaign begins

The Spanish league season kicks off this weekend with Barcelona star Lionel Messi insisting it is not just a battle between himself and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“With Cristiano I have absolutely no problem. All that is said about us is to do with the press who want us to have our own personal battle but I have never competed with him or fought him,” said the 25 year-old current holder of the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

“I just try to do my job in the best way possible to win trophies for my national team and Barcelona,”he continued after scoring in Argentina’s 3-1 win over Germany on Wednesday night.

The two players were neck-and-neck in the goalscoring charts last season, with the Argentinian hitting 50 in the league compared to Ronaldo’s 46, with an incredible 73 in all competitions for Messi and 60 for the Madrid striker.

Real finished the season nine points clear of a Barca side that still managed to lift four titles in what was to be Pep Guardiola’s last season of a hugely successful time for the Catalans.

The two giants kick off the new campaign tomorrow with home games against Valencia and Real Sociedad, with one eye on their two-legged Spanish Super Cup encounter over the next two weeks.

The first leg is in the Camp Nou next Thursday before the return game in Madrid six days later.

Barca begin a new era under Tito Vilanova, Pep Guardiola’s assistant for four seasons, with virtually the same squad as last term.

Spain left-back Jordi Alba is until now the only arrival from Valencia but more may follow at the Camp Nou.

Puyol, Villa back

Carles Puyol is available after a knee injury that kept him out of Euro 2012 and David Villa is almost back from the fractured tibia that saw him sit out most of last season, but he is not expected to be pushed into first-team action immediately.

Real have also changed very little a team that brought to an end Guardiola’s three consecutive titles with a record 100 points and 121 goals.

Ronaldo will be backed once again by Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain to provide the firepower for Jose Mourinho’s team.

Valencia, however, ended last season third for the third successive year and will provide a severe test in Madrid’s opening defence of the title.

New coach Mauricio Pellegrino will be able to choose from four new signings, including Mexican Andres Guardado and former Real midfielder Fernando Gago.

Forward Roberto Soldado, the highest-scoring Spaniard with 17 goals last season, should shake off a niggling injury in time.

Also tomorrow, Europa League winners Atletico Madrid start their campaign at last season’s surprise package Levante, with a growing injury list ahead of next week’s Super Cup tie with Chelsea.