'If Pele is Beethoven, I am the Bono', declares Diego Maradona

It doesn't take much to get a rise out of Diego Maradona when it comes to his old adversary, Pele, in the eternal debate as to who is the greatest footballer of all-time.

And so it proved on Tuesday night as El Diego could not resist aiming another verbal volley in Brazilian legend's direction, delivered, as always, in his own unique manner

"Pele has said he's the Beethoven of football. I've never heard any Beethoven music in a match, so as I've told you before, anytime he takes the wrong pill he comes up with a crazy statement," he said.

"If Pele thinks he's the Beethoven of football then I'm Ron Wood, Keith Richards and the Bono of football, because I have so much passion."

It's not the first time Maradona has aimed both barrels at the three-time World Cup winner this season having urged him to change his doctor after claiming Santos wonderkid Neymar was a better all-round player then Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

Maradona retorted then: "I think he [Pele] made the mistake of taking the wrong pills. Neymar is a good player, but he is not going to be better or even as good as Messi.

He added: "Pele may have taken the morning pills at night time, so he should make sure he takes the right pills. In fact it would be better if he changed his doctor."

Pele's musings view came ahead of the Club World Cup in Japan last December, a tournament Barca eventually went onto win after a 4-0 hammering of Santos in the final with Messi, surprise, surprise, scoring twice and being named Man-of-the-Match.