Liking or loving the same person as your friend is a very tough situation and dealing with such is even tougher. I don't think there's a better way of handling the situation than talking about it with your friend. But what if both friends are not willing to back down for the other, it will then be up to the person they are both crushing on. This is the point that can make or break their friendship if the supposed liked person goes for one of the friends. It will take a very strong willed person to support and still be friends with the chosen friend. In anyways, one gets hurt. I like to think that the only way of preserving their friendship lies with the liked one, he or she has to make the decision of not picking any of the friends.