Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League 2020/21 season is here and it's all about Barcelona vs Juventus, or shall we say Messi vs Cristiano. After nearly a three-year wait, the Argentine and Portuguese icons will face off, much to the excitement of football lovers.
This is for obvious reasons. With a combined total of 11 Ballon d'Or wins between the pair, they are undeniably the two greatest players of this generation and arguably the best of all time. Age is catching up to the Blaugrana and Bianconeri superstars, with Leo being 33 and Ronnie turning 36 in two months' time. Many thus see this encounter as a Last Dance, one of the final matches in which these two icons of the game will share the same pitch.
Who will win this encounter? What do the stats say about their previous run-ins? Here is their head-to-head record ahead of Tuesday's mouthwatering clash between Messi and Cristiano.
Who has more wins?
This Camp Nou clash will be their 36th run-in, with their last encounter taking place back in May 2018 at this very same stadium. Those matches are across all competitions, with 30 coming in El Clasico, three taking place while Ronaldo was at Man United, and the remaining two being international games between Argentina and Portugal.
So who has the more wins? Messi. The Argentine has emerged victorious on 16 occasions while Cristiano has managed 10 victories – not considerably less, but an inferior number nonetheless. The remaining nine clashes ended in stalemates, including their most recent one which was a 2-2 draw. Leo's six-win advantage came during the Barcelona-Real Madrid days, with the Portuguese ace matching the Argentine in terms of victories while at Man United and Portugal.
Additionally, the 33-year-old has the better head-to-head record in the UEFA Champions League, with the Argentine winning two times in his five encounters with CR7 in this competition. His rival, on the other hand, has tasted victory over Messi in Europe only once, with the remaining two run-ins ending in draws.
Who has scored more goals?
This one also goes to Leo, with the six-time Ballon d'Or winner scoring 22 goals while his counterpart has found the back of the net 19 times. In that May 2018 El Clasico, the last encounter between these two legends, both men managed to get on the scoresheet, with Cristiano scoring in the first half and Messi netting shortly after the break.
Head-to-head record
Games played: 35
Messi wins: 16
CR7 wins: 10
Draws: 9
Messi goals: 22
CR7 goals: 19
It should be noted that the 35-year-old goalscoring machine has never managed to score against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. In contrast, the Argentine has three goals under his belt in European encounters versus his counterpart.
Head-to-head record in the UCL
Games played: 5
Messi wins: 2
CR7 wins: 1
Draws: 2
Messi goals: 3
CR7 goals: 0
Where does Cristiano have the advantage?
Cristiano has a huge advantage in one area and that is form. The Juventus man has scored 10 goals in nine apps and is averaging a goal every 74 minutes. Messi, on the other hand, has been poor this season, netting seven times in 13 apps, with only two coming from open play. The Argentine is currently averaging a goal every 161 minutes but contributes to a goal every 102 minutes.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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