Lionel "The Greatest of All Time" Messi

[KingLeo10]

What games? Messi is very effective against dross teams. Against big teams, I'd give Ronaldo the edge, until Messi convinces me otherwise. Both are past it, not even half the players they were 3 years ago, let alone 5.

It's mostly physical. Ronaldo gives more effort and is faster. Messi struggles with the pace of big games these days.

Which big team has CR7 scored against in CL last 2 seasons?

Messi has scored goals v PSG and City, by contrast.

Won't even talk about dribbling ability. Messi, while severely diminished compared to his prime, can still beat everyone but elite defenders. CR7 is barely a factor outside of box presence. The only thing he's better at than Messi right now is having more ways to score.

 

[serghei]

Which big team has CR7 scored against in CL last 2 seasons?

Messi has scored goals v PSG and City, by contrast.

Won't even talk about dribbling ability. Messi, while severely diminished compared to his prime, can still beat everyone but elite defenders. CR7 is barely a factor outside of box presence. The only thing he's better at than Messi right now is having more ways to score.

Yea, but scoring goals is a big deal. Ultimately what Messi should do is either score goals, like Ronaldo does, or create goals, like Ronaldo doesn't do. I'm not seeing much of that if the teams aren't Granada level. Last year, all his goals nearly in La Liga were against mediocre sides.

Yea, Messi's performance vs City was very Ronaldo-like, I give you that. Scored a great goal and did largely nothing else all game. Ronaldo will also get an upper hand now that he plays in an elite competition each week. While Messi waits for CL games to prove himself against top sides.

 

[KingLeo10]

Yea, but scoring goals is a big deal. Ultimately what Messi should do is either score goals, like Ronaldo does, or create goals, like Ronaldo doesn't do. I'm not seeing much of that if the teams aren't Granada level. Last year, all his goals nearly in La Liga were against mediocre sides.

Yea, Messi's performance vs City was very Ronaldo-like, I give you that. Scored a great goal and did largely nothing else all game.

But you didn't really ding CR7 for it when he scored those kind of decisive goals after an anonymous performance.

CR7 has also only scored v the non elite sides last 2 seasons. If he can keep scoring v Pool or Chelsea or City, that's fair. Until then, you can't really ding Messi for not doing something that CR7 himself hasn't accomplished.

 

[serghei]

Yea, in the last 2 seasons neither Messi nor Ronaldo were good in CL. Both scored and were very good vs decent sides like Lyon or Napoli. Ronaldo and Juventus got sent home by 2 decent but not great sides in Lyon and Porto, Messi got sent packing by PSG without much fuss (scored a great goal, but also missed a key pen) and got trashed by Bayern 8-2, playing pretty crap.

It's not like either impressed much in the big games lately. I see them pretty even in recent years. They look very good vs smaller teams, but against superior opposition, they don't look special at all.

It's one of the reasons they moved to better teams. This season will be important. Both have bigger chances of doing better in CL.

 

[serghei]

But you didn't really ding CR7 for it when he scored those kind of decisive goals after an anonymous performance.

CR7 has also only scored v the non elite sides last 2 seasons. If he can keep scoring v Pool or Chelsea or City, that's fair. Until then, you can't really ding Messi for not doing something that CR7 himself hasn't accomplished.

That's true. It's just my feeling looking at Ronaldo and Messi's physical level that Ronaldo is slightly more likely to impact big games for the future. At Juve, he didn't do that, true (Atletico tie excepted). And neither did Messi at Barca. Both are declined in that respect, but both can play the card of "not good enough team". Juve and Barca were really not very good in years.

Now, they need to prove they still have it. Both have advantages. Ronaldo has way more top games he can prove himself in, but Messi has a better team in CL, which is the no1 competition still, even with EPL being very close.

I think both will fail, compared with the expectations. Ronaldo is too old, Messi is too slow and doesn't work hard enough for this level.

 

[Rassvet]

I would say Messi is arguably the best player in the world and certainly top 5 with the right setup around him. For instance, he would still tear it up at Barcelona in a top quality possession team and likely be the best player in the world there.

However, for the majority of top teams out there that don’t play that way, I don’t think he is top 5 or even top 10. I’m not sure he would even make a team like Bayern, Liverpool, or Chelsea better.

Whether that makes him top 5 or not is up for debate. He certainly does things that no other player can but his adaptability to different systems and styles of play makes him a bit limited in the modern game.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

That's true. It's just my feeling looking at Ronaldo and Messi's physical level that Ronaldo is slightly more likely to impact big games for the future. At Juve, he didn't do that, true (Atletico tie excepted). And neither did Messi at Barca. Both are declined in that respect, but both can play the card of "not good enough team". Juve and Barca were really not very good in years.

Now, they need to prove they still have it. Both have advantages. Ronaldo has way more top games he can prove himself in, but Messi has a better team in CL, which is the no1 competition still, even with EPL being very close.

I think both will fail, compared with the expectations. Ronaldo is too old, Messi is too slow and doesn't work hard enough for this level.

I have the feeling both will come back this season in cl, one last dance

 

[serghei]

I have the feeling both will come back this season in cl, one last dance

I think we'll see again another proof of system & coaching over superstar driven teams. The more physical, intense, and well-drilled team will win over the one with stars who slack off when they should put an extra shift.

Messi and Ronaldo are too past it to provide such a massive impact.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

I think we'll see again another proof of system & coaching over superstar driven teams. The more physical, intense, and well-drilled team will win over the one with stars who slack off when they should put an extra shift.

Messi and Ronaldo are too past it to provide such a massive impact.

You could be right but Juve and barca were crap last two years and both are too old to make a huge difference in those teams and i still think that Ronaldo and messi are able to bring the impact to lead a team to semi final or final when they have not bums around them. This season Ronaldo has 2 goals in 2 matches and Messi has already 1 superior goal against city which shows that are not finished for the highest competition in club football.

 

[serghei]

You could be right but Juve and barca were crap last two years and both are too old to make a huge difference in those teams and i still think that Ronaldo and messi are able to bring the impact to lead a team to semi final or final when they have not bums around them. This season Ronaldo has 2 goals in 2 matches and Messi has already 1 superior goal against city which shows that are not finished for the highest competition in club football.

Yea, but we're talking about winning the CL. Heck, PSG made final, and semis in the last 2 years. The expectation from both is to win it if they are really to prove they are still among the very best. Especially from Messi considering PSG are among the favorites.

Ronaldo is also expected to lead United to a Premier League title after a long time. If neither deliver the goods, I think we can forget about Messi and Ronaldo being the difference-makers at the top for good. Their era is over. It's one of their last chances to go out with a bang so to speak. Or something like that. Their last will be the World Cup I feel.

 

[Rassvet]

good day for Leo

 

[SmilerBam]

What games? Messi is very effective against dross teams. Against big teams, I'd give Ronaldo the edge, until Messi convinces me otherwise. Both are past it, not even half the players they were 3 years ago, let alone 5.

It's mostly physical. Ronaldo gives more effort and is faster. Messi struggles with the pace of big games these days. For Messi to still be effective he needs to either have the whole team built around him, or he needs to run more. It's as simple as that.

He'll be fine if he realizes this and puts in a harder shift instead of walking and pretending everyone has to play Messi ball. He should be better physically than Ronaldo, considering he is a good few years younger, but Ronaldo seems fitter and faster.

Do you start again with this shit? Because it's tiresome. Btw, who are those 5 better players than Messi? I think of maybe 3, Lewandoski ,De Bruyne and Mbappe. Btw, Messi carried the shitest Barca team in the last 20 years to almost a double last year and he carried Argentina to their first international titles in eons. So yes, he deserves to be in the contention of all individual prizes this year.

 

[Messigician]

Bombshell dropped

Full interview below..


"I love him too much to be angry? But there comes a time when you see that things just cannot happen, and there was disappointment on both sides? There was a desire for him to stay, but pressure because of the offer he had. He knew that he'd go to PSG if he didn't stay.? Laporta noted.

"When it came to making the decision, I thought I was doing the best thing for Barcelona. I hoped there would be a change and that he'd say he'd play for free, but we cannot expect a player of his level to do that? We have a very good relationship. I knew that if we recovered financially, we would compensate him, but we couldn't make demands knowing the offer he had in Paris.? Laporta added.

 

[Messigician]

Messi: "I had decided to end my career at Bar?a. I came back from vacation with an intention to sign my new contract. Suddenly, they told me it was impossible. I had to move quickly. I had other proposals, but PSG convinced me financially."

Shittt this is bad for his legacy, why did he say financially fuck... Laporta and Messi opening can of worms we all knew he loves money but fuck this isn't a good look

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Messi: "I had decided to end my career at Bar?a. I came back from vacation with an intention to sign my new contract. Suddenly, they told me it was impossible. I had to move quickly. I had other proposals, but PSG convinced me financially."

Shittt this is bad for his legacy, why did he say financially fuck... Laporta and Messi opening can of worms we all knew he loves money but fuck this isn't a good look

did he really say financially? Even if its true why would anyone say that