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Lionel Messi is hopeful that Barcelona can perform a clean-sweep at this year's Ballon d'Or awards with his forward partners Neymar and Luis Suarez joining him on the podium.

Messi made his first start since September on Tuesday as Barca crushed Roma 6-1 in the Champions League, the Argentinian and Suarez both netted twice while Neymar was fully involved in the action as well.

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The trio are probably the most lethal attacking line in the world, and Messi is eager that they all be recognised at the Ballon d'Or ceremony on January 11, per MailOnline's Pete Jenson:

"I hope that can happen, but it's not something that we are going to obsess over. I'm sure Ney and Luis think the same way—if that is the way it turns out [the three of them as Ballon d'Or finalists] then great and if not it doesn't matter."

Messi is the heavy favourite to pick up a fifth Ballon d'Or gong this year having led Barca to a treble win last season.

Neymar and Suarez were also integral to that triumph—they both netted as Barca beat Juventus 3-1 in the Champions League final—and have been sublime in Messi's absence this season.

However, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo could be the man to spoil the Barcelona party on the podium.

The Portuguese has continued to score heavily—48 times in the 2014-15 La Liga season, per WhoScored.com—despite Los Blancos failing to pick up any significant silverware.

Per Jenson, Messi was clearly delighted to return to the starting XI on Tuesday, and he hailed the performances of his team-mates during his absence:

I'm happy because of the final score and for the fact that I was able to play 90 minutes. I am taking it one step at a time and luckily it's going well. We never said that the team was totally reliant on me and it showed while I was out. It was tough for me being out but I enjoyed myself watching the way the team played.



While many thought the Camp Nou giants would simply tread water while the 28-year-old was injured, they actually kicked on to the top of the La Liga table, and their 4-0 defeat of Real on Saturday saw them move six points clear of Los Blancos in the Spanish top flight.

They took their immense form into the Roma clash and Messi, Suarez and Neymar looked irresistible, linking up on numerous occasions, not least for Messi's second goal of the night, per BT Sport Football:

As a trio, MSN have now netted over 120 goals in the last year, per Bleacher Report UK:

Their dismantling of Roma confirmed Barca as winners of Group E with one game remaining.

On current form, Luis Enrique's side are surely favourites to win a second consecutive Champions League, and perhaps even a second consecutive treble.

Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe recently moved the Catalans to the top of his European rankings following their El Clasico victory:

It would be hard to argue with a Ballon d'Or podium of Messi, Neymar and Suarez—their consistency has been quite remarkable in 2015.

But Ronaldo may yet find himself among the finalists again, most likely at the expense of Barca's Uruguayan striker Suarez.