Barcelona star Lionel Messi plays football "on another galaxy" from his team-mates Neymar and Luis Suarez, according to Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri.

Nasri will likely come head-to-head with Barca's fearsome attacking trio in the UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday, with Nasri having plenty of experience facing Suarez from the Uruguayan's time at Liverpool.

While Suarez has gradually integrated into Luis Enrique's side, Nasri maintains there is no comparison between him, Neymar and Messi.

"I think Messi and [Real Madrid star Cristiano] Ronaldo play in their own galaxy. They compete with each other," the Frenchman told reporters on Monday ahead of this week's clash at the Etihad Stadium. 

"The rest, Suarez and Neymar, are the same level as [City striker] Sergio [Aguero]. Sergio, when he is fit, can lift the team and score goals.

"I just think that Messi is on another galaxy.

"At Liverpool, he [Suarez] was the main striker, but you are not going to score 70 goals playing for Barcelona because he makes a lot of assists and opens up space for Messi and Neymar.

"He is good, he just doesn't score as much for Barcelona. At Liverpool, the team was built around him, but at Barcelona you cannot do that when you have Messi in his prime.

"When you arrive at a big club, you have to deal with things like that."