Ronaldo helped Real Madrid to a second consecutive Champions League title and finished as the tournament's top scorer with 12 goals earlier this year.
Barca won their fifth European Cup in 2015 and the signs of decline have been evident over the past five years since -- but no-one envisaged a fall as great as this.
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez said he felt "privileged" after scoring four goals against Deportivo La Coruna to move ahead of Brazilian Ronaldo's tally of 48 goals in a season for the club.
The clinical Argentine Messi now has 11 goals in his last five games in all competitions and with record signing Ousmane Dembele injured and Luis Suarez rested, he put on a sensational show at Camp Nou to extend Barcelona's La Liga lead.
On the eve of the big game, the Malian footballer tell Rediff.com's Norma Godinho why Real Madrid are favourites and what is plaguing Barcelona this season.
'I want to be somewhere I feel wanted and respected. If that's here then I'll be delighted but if it's somewhere else then I'll be the one who decides where, not anyone else.'
City host Crystal Palace in the league on Saturday, the only team they failed to score against last season while also losing 2-0 at home.
Images from football action around European leagues played on Sunday
Barcelona were in danger of being toppled from the top of La Liga standings on Sunday after they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna.
Barcelona star Gerard Pique and his Colombian pop star partner Shakira have found themselves at the centre of a storm.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has decided to rest Lionel Messi, Neymar and most of his regulars for the King's Cup last 16, second leg match at Elche later on Thursday.
A magical Lionel Messi goal, the first of a personal double, led treble-chasing Barcelona to a 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the King's Cup final on Saturday.
'We do have to examine new mechanisms like luxury taxes and in particular sporting criteria like squad limitations and fair transfer rules, to avoid player hoarding and excessive concentration of talent within a few teams' The last few years have seen the increasing dominance of a few elite clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Arsenal took the race to the final day last season and are strongly tipped to end Manchester City's dominance this time.
Barcelona have filed a formal complaint against two former Real Madrid players turned pundits after they suggested Barca forward Neymar deserved the kick he received from Real midfielder Isco in this month's La Liga 'El Clasico'.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-0 win over Las Palmas in a match played without fans following clashes between police and voters in Catalonia over a disputed independence referendum.
Upset by referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea's decision to dismiss him, Ronaldo shoved the official, which landed him in further hot water.
A Brazilian judge threw out a tax evasion case against Barcelona forward Neymar on Thursday because Brazil's inland revenue has yet to finish its own deliberations in the case.
Laggards in international rankings, India finally made their presence felt by pulling off an impressive under-17 World Cup that drew all-round praise even though the country was eliminated in the very first round.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Raphinha excited to follow in footsteps of Brazilian greats at Barcelona
Rangers joined Barca in the last eight despite losing 2-1 at Red Star Belgrade, progressing 3-2 on aggregate.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid led a Spanish Armada into the Champions League last 16 with home wins on Wednesday and in-form Aaron Ramsey steadied Arsenal's boat with a battling win against rocky Borussia Dortmund.
Luis Suarez has received a second European Golden Shoe of his career after becoming the leading scorer in Europe's top domestic leagues last season.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
That was also Messi's 500th goal for Barcelona.
A round-up of Sunday's matches in LaLiga, Ligue 1 and Serie A
Lionel Messi and his Barcelona team mates have been back at the club's training ground conducting individual sessions since last week, following La Liga's four-phase protocol for returning to activity since it was halted in March due to the pandemic.
Messi's damning assessment of the team came home to roost when the season re-started after the coronavirus stoppage and Barca surrendered the league title to Real Madrid, prompting the captain to launch a new tirade against the team.
The 32-year-old, who joined Barcelona in 2014, said before the second leg at Anfield that he only had fond memories of his time in England.
Real Madrid top Forbes' most valuable soccer teams list, followed by their La Liga counterparts, FC Barcelona. Here is the list of the 10 most valuable soccer teams (in billions):
Juventus may have become the only club to lose six European Cup finals but they took heart from pushing Barcelona to the limit in Saturday's riveting final and restoring the honour of Italian football, coach Massimiliano Allegri said.
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has failed to recover from a calf strain and will miss Tuesday's Champions League Group F match at APOEL Nicosia.
Trippier suspension temporarily halted by FIFA
Lionel Messi broke a Spanish hat-trick record and Luis Suarez struck twice as a rampant Barcelona took over top spot in La Liga with a 6-1 hammering of Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
Barcelona followed up last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Real Madrid with another reverse on Saturday, squandering a host of chances to lose 1-0 at home to Celta Vigo and handing the lead in La Liga to their arch rivals.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two best players in the world right now but Neymar will eclipse them both next year, former Brazil striker Ronaldo told Reuters.
United topple Real Madrid off its perch in Forbes' list, Barca are at No 2 spot
Barcelona have promised that their women's team will travel first class for the remainder of their tour of the United States after sending them economy on their outward journey, while the men's team enjoyed business class on the same flight.
