Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has picked Barcelona stalwart Andrés Iniesta as one of the three best players in the world at the moment during a Facebook Q & A with fans.
Van Persie, 32, was speaking ahead of Fenerbahçe’s Europa League round of 16 first-leg tie with Portugal’s Sporting Braga on Thursday evening.
Asked by a fan who the best player in the world is, Van Persie decided against naming just the one player, opting to choose both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo alongside Barcelona playmaker Iniesta.
“Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andrés Iniesta. These are the players who are really standing out.” Van Persie said during the Q & A hosted by UEFA Europa League’s official Facebook page.
Although Neymar, Iniesta’s Barcelona teammate, was awarded third place at the Ballon d’Or 2015 ceremony in Zurich in January, Van Persie still feels the Spaniard is a level above the Brazilian.
Neymar’s emergence in the top three this year came four years after Iniesta stood third alongside Messi and Ronaldo for the 2012 edition of the Ballon d’Or.
Van Persie’s Fenerbahçe head into Thursday night’s Europa League tie at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium having beaten Lokomotiv Moscow 3-1 on aggregate to seal their place in the Round of 16.
The club avoided draws with European heavyweights Manchester United, the Dutchman’s former side, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund.Van Persie has scored two goals in his last five league games, with a total of nine for season so far.
But in Europe, the ex-United frontman is yet to find the back of the net, going goalless against Molde, Celtic, Ajax and Lokomotiv.
Fenerbahçe currently lead the Turkish Süper Lig by a slim two points, with Besiktas, who have a game in hand, chasing Van Persie and Co. in second place.
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