Barcelona defender Aleix Vidal has claimed that Lionel Messi is an even better player than the Spaniard thought he was.

Vidal officially joined Barcelona at the start of the season, but only made his first-team debut earlier this month due to the Catalan side's transfer ban.

The right-back says that watching Messi at close quarters in training has made him realise the quality of "the best player in the world".

"You just have to see [Lionel Messi] in action to realise that he's the best player in the world. When it's my turn to play against him [in training], I'm aware that I have few options," Vidal told reporters.

Messi won his fifth Ballon d'Or earlier this week, beating teammate Neymar and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo to the crown.