Sergio Ramos admits he is relieved to be on the same team as Lionel Messi after years of "suffering" while trying to defend against the player he believes is the greatest ever.
The legendary Spaniard, 36, had the unenviable task of trying to keep Messi, 35, quiet in many a memorable La Liga encounter. Ramos burst onto the scene with Sevilla in the mid-2000s, just as the Argentine was enjoying a meteoric rise at Barcelona.
Ramos moved to Real Madrid in 2005 and locked horns with Messi in El Clasico for 16 seasons. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is the top scorer in the iconic fixture, netting an astonishing 26 goals for Barca against Los Blancos in all competitions - and clashing with Ramos on numerous occasions.
