EXCLUSIVE Maradona Interview: "Messi or Maradona? You can't compare humans with aliens"

“Diego is the god of football but Leo is the best human player." Diego Armando Maradona Jr is in no doubt when asked about old age question of who was better, Leo or his father. "You can't compare humans with aliens, it's impossible." The son of Diego Maradona, himself a former Napoli graduate, spoke to SPORT ahead of their match against Barça in the Champions League.

Diego, how do you see Barça-Napoli going?

Barça have an amazing squad and also have the advantage from the first leg. However, Quique Setien's side aren't going through their best moment and concede at least one against every team. That's why I tell Napolitanos, despite not being favourites, they can make it difficult for Barça and even eliminate them.

Can we say Gattuso has managed to do something at Napoli that Setien hasn't been able to at Barcelona?

The results prove that, as well as the harmony in the dressing room. Gattuso is a great worker, he arrives and puts everyone to work, work, work. His Napoli side isn't just a football team but a family. They have the mentality to complete all their objectives together. Aside from the team which won Serie A, who I never like to name, I don't believe there's a better team than Napoli in Italy right now.

And at Barça?

The opposite of Napoli. They have a team full of talent, 11 champions, but they aren't a family. Obviously, I can only talk about Barça as an observer but something is broken in the dressing room and I still don't understand the sacking of Ernesto Valverde. How did it make sense to sack a manager who was still competing to win LaLiga and the Champions League? They seem to have more problems with Setien than they did before.

Is Leo the best player of this generation? 

Of course. I adore Messi. In today's world, he's the best of them all and Cristiano doesn't even come close. Those who criticise him in Argentine have no idea about football. My father loves him a lot and talks to me often about him. Leo is a star.. and the second-best player of all time.

The second best?

Well, yeah, the second. Messi is phenomenal but no one compares to my father. You can't compare humans with aliens. We can say Maradona is the god of football and that Leo is the best among the human players. I'm sorry, but no one compares to my old man. It's impossible.

And who is the third best?

Ronaldo. The real Ronaldo. After those three, then comes everybody else. Although Cruyff deserves his own rank for the mark he left on football. The Dutchman changed this sport completely. 

If Maradona, Ronaldo and Cruyff are football's past, Lautaro Matinez is the future. Do you think 'el Toro' is ready to play alongside Messi?

Lautaro is a very important player. A star right now and not just for the future. He's shown his great qualities at Inter, scoring plenty of goals, and I'm sure he's ready to play for Barcelona.

Do you think he'll join Barça this summer? 

That I don't know. Inter are a huge team in Italy but Barça are on another planet. You have to consider it. Lautaro is a talent who can make a difference in any team. Luis Suarez can't last forever. I don't see Griezmann lasting long at Barcelona either, so the signing of Lautaro for the 2020/21 season would be phenomenal - and also very much needed.

And lastly, one more question about your father: what does he say about his stint at Barcelona (1982-84)?

He's told me many things, many stories. It was an honour for him to wear Barcelona's shirt and he still respects the club, and its supporters, a lot today. However, you can't compare what my father experienced in Napoli with Barça. Napoli will always have a special place in his heart. We speak about the city and the team who helped change his life as well as his career. As you can probably tell, it's clear who he will be cheering on this Saturday.