Lionel Messi tipped to bounce back
An emotional Lionel Messi, devastated by Pep Guardiola’s decision to step down at the end of the season, will be under the spotlight against Rayo Vallecano. The young Argentine suffered the worst night of his career in midweek at the Camp Nou. He was part of the relentless Barcelona team that could not break down Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea.
Lionel Messi was given a glorious chance from the penalty spot to put his side 3-2 up on aggregate. However, in front of the Catalans’ multitude of fans at the stadium, Messi missed. His ball crashed against the post at the relief of Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Petr Cech.
A late goal from Fernando Torres cruelly ended Barcelona’s hopes on the night. Lifting the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League title is a dead dream for the competition’s current top scorer. Barca also have little to play for in La Liga, being 7 points behind Real Madrid with 4 matches to go.
However, for key player Lionel Messi, these last round appear as an opportunity to revitalize his aggrieved spirit. La Pulga has gone goalless in his last 270 minutes of action in all competitions.
This period coincides with Barcelona’s most crucial games of the season which include their two-legged tie against Chelsea in the Champions League semis and El Clasico in La Liga. This is when the world expected Messi to hit new heights by pushing Barcelona closer to a possible treble.
Despite his countless efforts, Lionel Messi failed to impose himself during these all-important fixtures. The last time the Argentine forward found the net was on April 14 against Levante in the league. In La Liga, Lionel Messi is a goal behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
The race for the Pichichi is extremely tight unlike the race for the title. Between the Barcelona number 10 player and Real Madrid’s Ronaldo, there are 83 league goals. Should Rayo Vallecano and the rest of Barca’s league opponents expect a backlash from Lionel Messi?
Feeding current La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo with goals
Cristiano Ronaldo will have the chance to widen the gap at the top of the goal scorers chart when Real Madrid and Sevilla lock horns at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday morning. This is where the Portuguese icon scored twice in normal time and had a spot kick saved in the penalty shoot-outs against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Ronaldo could not take advantage of Lionel Messi’s penalty catastrophe which made rounds in the media as Real Madrid followed Barcelona out of Europe. Having finished with 10 goals in the tournament, the number 7 player is now sure of not winning this season’s UEFA Champions League top scorer award which will go to his closest rival Lionel Messi or European finalist Mario Gomez of Bayern Munich.
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to approach Real Madrid’s last league matches with maximum energy. The task at hand is not easy, though. The defence of Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, Real Mallorca and even Granada may be hard to break.
However, Jose Mourinho could order his team to play in a way that will help Ronaldo retain his Pichichi award. Real Madrid need key man Cristiano Ronaldo to be in good condition emotionally. The charismatic footballer has never hidden his love for individual awards and winning the Pichichi could have a comforting impact not only on the player but on the entire team, currently distraught by their Champions League semi-final exit.
Pep Guardiola once said that a “happy Messi is a happy Barca”. The situation is perhaps quite like that between Real Madrid and Ronaldo. In the 27-year-old superstar winger, Los Blancos possess a player than can hit over 50 goals a season in all competitions. It is down to coach Jose Mourinho to make the most of Ronaldo's incredible attacking instinct.
In La Liga only, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 39 per cent of his team’s 109 goals while making 11 assists. The Portugal captain is on a great scoring form having netted 5 times in his last 3 league games.
Jose Mourinho will be hoping for his talisman to overcome low-confidence emotions following Real Madrid’s miserable penalty shoot-out session against Bayern Munich in midweek. Feeding Cristiano Ronaldo with goal opportunities could mean saving the entire team from a thinkable goal drought.
Jose Mourinho was clearly trying to protect his side’s leading scorer when, after Ronaldo’s spot kick blunder against Bayern, he told the press on Wednesday night:
“Cristiano Ronaldo is fantastic. I will not compare him with Messi. We are talking about two great players. I will say this year Cristiano Ronaldo has been better.”
At this point in the season, Lionel Messi has 63 goals from 55 appearances. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 56 goals in 51 matches.
