Real Madrid’s form after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure is a warning to Barcelona when it comes to Lionel Messi, according to club’s former midfielder Jordi Cruyff.

“What happened to Madrid is a warning for Barça,” the Chongqing Dangdai Lifan coach told Sport.

“Madrid players are still great, but in football, you need that player who even losing 2-0 you think you can win. It happens with Messi. It’s much more than football… it is belief.”

Cruyff, a former Netherlands international, said Ronaldo – like Messi at Barça – was holding Madrid together.

“You analyse Madrid and you see that Cristiano was the man who holds the umbrella,” he said. When it rains, nobody gets wet. Now, there is no umbrella.”