The former Spanish midfielder provoked Cristiano with some remarks last month, but has now admitted that his former clasico opponent is one to beat.
Cristiano Ronalo may have the verge in this year's Ballon d'Or race given the trophies he has won, following to former Barcelona star Xavi.
The 31 year old Portuguese is expected to be at least with in the final three nominees, to defend the trophy that he has won in 2014, this year Real Madrid has won the Champions League, where he played a great role for them and captained Portugal to a conquest at Euro 2016.
Xavi assert last month that anybody who like football would take into account that Lionel Messi to be better than Ronaldo, prompting an angry reaction from the Real Madrid winger in which he scorned the Former Spanish midfielder for having never won a Ballon d'Or.
But now the Catalan has admitted that Ronaldo could be the favorite to demand the football’s top individual prize for a fourth time.
"Cristiano has the numbers to win this year's Ballon d'Or, having won the Champions League and the Euros," he said.
"But I also think that it'll be very competitive, because Messi will be there, of course."
Celta Vigo defeated the Catalan’s by 4-3 on Sunday, a result that leads them two points behind them from Real Madrid and from Atletico Madrid, and now they are in sitting in the third spot, but the former Spanish international thinks there is nothing to be panic.
"I wasn't able to watch the game, but it looks like there were a lot of individual mistakes," he said. "But Barca are on another level and that's something you see most of all when you leave the club.
"The idea is a good one: to be dominant and to have the ball. They also have the best in every position and I'm proud to watch them play.
"With Luis Enrique, they're working very well, but sometimes the result is misleading based on what you see on the pitch."