After each matchday in La Liga and Serie A, Sportsnet will look at how Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo did, and compare their performances, while keeping a running tally over the course of the season.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his fifth goal for Juventus, but Genoa came from behind to earn a 1-1 road draw on Saturday. It was the first time the Bianconeri dropped points after opening the Serie A season with eight consecutive wins.
The Portuguese star was in the right place at the right time in the 18th minute, tapping home from two yards out when the ball fell to him after Genoa’s defence failed to clear its lines and goalkeeper Ionut Radu couldn’t get a handle on the ball.
https://twitter.com/raioxdabola/status/1053683876097351680
It was a historic strike for Ronaldo, as he became the first player to score 400 league goals across Europe’s top five domestic divisions: 311 for Real Madrid, 85 for Manchester United and five for Juventus.
https://twitter.com/Wunderkid__/status/1053710389685436416
But Juventus didn’t put the visitors away, allowing Genoa to stay in the game and tie things up in the second half. Like many of his Juve teammates, Ronaldo faded as the game went on, with manager Massimiliano Allegri believing his players switched off – that they were already thinking of Tuesday’s game against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League.
“We drifted out of the game after a good start to the second half and, instead of making it 2-0, we let them make it 1-1,” Allegri said. “This isn’t good, because it’s with matches like this that titles are lost. After 10 minutes of the second half we were already thinking about Manchester. We needed to have more focus.”
LIONEL MESSI
Barcelona maintained its grip on top spot in the La Liga table following an entertaining 4-2 win over Sevilla at the Camp Nou on Saturday.
It was a costly victory, though, as Lionel Messi badly bent his right elbow as he crumpled down to the ground in a heap after running into the back of a Sevilla defender. It was confirmed after the match that the Argentine fractured the radial bone in his right arm and that he is expected to be sidelined for approximately three weeks.
Messi had to be subbed out after 26 minutes and was replaced by Ousmane Dembele with Barcelona up 2-0. It was Messi’s pass that set up Philippe Coutinho’s opening goal in the second minute. Just two minutes later, Messi took a feed from Luis Suarez and beat Sevilla goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik with a low, driving shot with two defenders bearing down on him after going on a fabulous solo run down the right flank.
https://twitter.com/BarcaRaw/status/1053725181875773440
SEASONS STATS
Lionel Messi in La Liga
Top line stats: 7 goals, 5 assists, 9 games played
Total minutes: 691
Total shots: 38
Shots on target: 19
Pass success rate: 82.8%
WhoScored.com rating: 8.41 (ranked #1 in La Liga)
Cristiano Ronaldo in Serie A
Top line stats: 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 games played
Total minutes: 810
Total shots: 79
Shots on target: 29
Pass success rate: 87.6%
WhoScored.com rating: 7.94 (ranked #1 in Serie A)
MATCHDAY 9: MESSI OR RONALDO?
He was only on the pitch for 26 minutes before being subbed out with an injury and was replaced by Ousmane Dembele. But it was great 26 minutes for Messi, who set up Philippe Coutinho’s opening goal and then scored with a sublime, individual effort to double Barca’s advantage.
Advantage: Lionel Messi.
Season series to date: Ronaldo leads 5-4.
NEXT UP
Juventus travels to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United on Tuesday in UEFA Champions League group stage play, and then faces a road test against Empoli in Serie A action on Saturday. Barcelona hosts Inter Milan in Champions League on Wednesday, and then welcomes Real Madrid to Camp Nou on Sunday in the latest installment of El Clasico.
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