Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the most dominant forces in world football and just like two of a trade seldom agree, only one of them can be the greatest ever. While to end the Ronaldo vs Messi debate, we would have to wait until both of them hang their boots, its the season by season analysis which helps us decipher who was better than the other, every year.
After winning the UEFA Champions League and La Liga in the same season and becoming the first footballer to have 100 or more European as well as Champions League goals, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who had the upper hand against his arch-rival last season. His on-field endeavors helped him clinch the 2017 FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or award, taking his tally to five such awards, equalling Lionel Messi.
However, when it comes to the 2017/18 season, the Portugal International has had a rather shocking outing, having scored only 8 goals in 17 La Liga appearances, where Real Madrid is sitting at the fourth place while Barcelona is the current leaders with 58 points.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi has seen unmatched success this season with 20 goals in 22 La Liga appearances, registering a big comeback as far as his arch-rival is concerned.
That said, according to Spanish outlet Diario Gol, Cristiano Ronaldo is not at all happy about how the season has uncovered and is worried about the end result by the end of 2017/18 season.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Biggest Worries Of The 2017/18 Season
1. Since Barcelona is nine points clear at the top of the La Liga tally, the club seems to have already grabbed the title and if they remain ahead with the same lead, Barca would be the crowned champions by the time if El Clasico on May 6. If this happens, Cristiano Ronaldo would have to be part of a guard of honor for Lionel Messi and his team-mates.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo is also worried about Barcelona’s dominance in the UEFA Champions League as the striker reportedly fears that only Manchester City will be able to stop Ernesto Valverde’s squad but it looks likely Lionel Messi will help the Catalan side secure the prestigious trophy.
3. To make matters worse, if Barcelona wins both the league title and Champions League this season, it would invariably make Messi the hot favorite for Ballon d’Or award at the end of the year, which was the case with Ronaldo in 2017.
4. Lastly, since Real Madrid is still battling for the top positions in Champions League, Ronaldo thinks will have to give his maximum throughout the remaining season, which might burn him out for the upcoming World Cup. On the other hand, Lionel Messi could be rested for a couple of matches and head to Russia fresh.
These were some of the biggest worries for Cristiano Ronaldo who has failed to carry forward last season’s momentum with Real Madrid and while his position in the club has been tossed in air due to his performances, if Lionel Messi clinches every major title this year, the Portuguese will lose his perfect chance of showing his consistency.