2 hours ago, TJB said:

 

I haven't seen the game but I'm assuming VAR overturned the penalty and the ref then booked the Barca player for simulation.

10 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

"Much better" is going a bit far. They both have incredible records in the Champions League.

He is for me clearly better in important or bigger games in Europe, both for his clubs and national team.

Messi couldn't break us when we had Cech and our best team not even with the help of refs, but Ronaldo scored against us that night in Moscow, so my view is totally opposite from yours here.

27 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

He is for me clearly better in important or bigger games in Europe, both for his clubs and national team.

Messi couldn't break us when we had Cech and our best team not even with the help of refs, but Ronaldo scored against us that night in Moscow, so my view is totally opposite from yours here.

But also then went on to miss his penalty in the shoot-out.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have been head & shoulders above every other player for the last decade. Ihink Ronaldo is the better all-rounder and much better in the air but have no doubt that Messi is the best footballer I have ever seen in terms of sheer skill and draw-dropping moments.

1 hour ago, Nibs said:

But also then went on to miss his penalty in the shoot-out.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have been head & shoulders above every other player for the last decade. Ihink Ronaldo is the better all-rounder and much better in the air but have no doubt that Messi is the best footballer I have ever seen in terms of sheer skill and draw-dropping moments.

For me Ronaldinho was the most entertaining and skilful player I have ever seen.

Ronaldo has done it in three of the top leagues in the World, had international success, and he's the leading all time scorer in CL football (by some margin), 

A poet would say Messi, a mathematician...... Ronaldo.

1 hour ago, Chelsbear said:

For me Ronaldinho was the most entertaining and skilful player I have ever seen.

He was quality but unfortunately he liked the off-field activities a bit too much so had nothing like the consistency of Messi.

 

 

Ronaldo is a freak when it comes to goalscoring, but Messi is an even bigger freak when it comes to ability. I have never seen anybody like Messi, no player has produced as many wow moments as he has. They are both incredible players for different reasons, but for me, Ronaldo only has two abilities that I rate higher than Messi, heading and fitness. I think in every other area, Messi is better than Ronaldo.

Edited March 14, 20197 yr by Scott Harris

18 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Ronaldo is a freak when it comes to goalscoring, but Messi is an even bigger freak when it comes to ability. I have never seen anybody like Messi, no player has produced as many wow moments as he has. They are both incredible players for different reasons, but for me, Ronaldo only has two abilities that I rate higher than Messi, heading and fitness. I think in every other area, Messi is better than Ronaldo.

Bernardeschi was the man who fully changed that game, Ronaldo scored two headers and a penalty and everyone is talking about him, but it was Federico who massively changed that game for Juventus. 

 

5 minutes ago, Slojo said:

Bernardeschi was the man who fully changed that game, Ronaldo scored two headers and a penalty and everyone is talking about him, but it was Federico who massively changed that game for Juventus. 

 

Had Messi scored 3 goals everyone would be talking about him as well so I don't know where is the fault there?
I find it so odd that somehow when it comes to Ronaldo, since he scored so much in the last 10 years or so somehow his goals are always worth less when compared to any other player. If it was so easy it wouldn't be only him doing it the way he does it...

7 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

Had Messi scored 3 goals everyone would be talking about him as well so I don't know where is the fault there?
I find it so odd that somehow when it comes to Ronaldo, since he scored so much in the last 10 years or so somehow his goals are always worth less when compared to any other player. If it was so easy it wouldn't be only him doing it the way he does it...

You put Messi at Central Midfield and he'll play just as good as Xavi played there in his prime, Messi can do just about everything, he isn't all about being at the end of the goal. 

He's far more involved in the final 3rd than Ronaldo is. People keep talking about Ronaldo's greatness in the game, he scored a very important hattrick, but I was more impressed with Bernadeschi, he was the one who assisted him and won the penalty, he was amazing all game, almost everything went through him. 

Edited March 14, 20197 yr by Slojo

28 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Ronaldo is a freak when it comes to goalscoring, but Messi is an even bigger freak when it comes to ability. I have never seen anybody like Messi, no player has produced as many wow moments as he has. They are both incredible players for different reasons, but for me, Ronaldo only has two abilities that I rate higher than Messi, heading and fitness. I think in every other area, Messi is better than Ronaldo.

Ronaldo probably has also some other abilities that make him comparable to Messi besides fitness and heading as those two alone wouldn't make him as he is...For example:
Finishing
Off ball movement
Weaker foot
Long shot
Jumping
Anticipation
Leadership skills?

It's important to not underestimate or underrate someone like Ronaldo because he's maybe the best European player of all time, he has played in multiple systems and in multiple leagues and all coaches that had him said that he was the best player they have trained in their career.
 

1 minute ago, Gol15 said:

Ronaldo probably has also some other abilities that make him comparable to Messi besides fitness and heading as those two alone wouldn't make him as he is...For example:
Finishing
Off ball movement
Weaker foot
Long shot
Jumping
Anticipation
Leadership skills?

It's important to not underestimate or underrate someone like Ronaldo because he's maybe the best European player of all time, he has played in multiple systems and in multiple leagues and all coaches that had him said that he was the best player they have trained in their career.
 

Most of those fall right into being on the end of the final 3rd like I just pointed out... He's changed from the player he was at United, we saw that under Mourinho where he was effectively a poacher at Real Madrid and would score a scary amount of goals. 

Without a doubt an amazing goal scorer who gets on the end of just about anything, but as a player I think there are many players who are better than him, I don't truly believe or have ever believed Ronaldo has been the best footballer ever, best goal scorer sure. Hazard is a much better footballer than Ronaldo for instance, but never in a million years would he come close to scoring the goals Ronaldo scores. 

18 minutes ago, Slojo said:

You put Messi at Central Midfield and he'll play just as good as Xavi played there in his prime, Messi can do just about everything, he isn't all about being at the end of the goal. 

He's far more involved in the final 3rd than Ronaldo is. People keep talking about Ronaldo's greatness in the game, he scored a very important hattrick, but I was more impressed with Bernadeschi, he was the one who assisted him and won the penalty, he was amazing all game, almost everything went through him. 

IMO Messi fits well where he is because he shines when he's involved in many touches, otherwise if he's out of the game he's not going do shine. He already goes back and plays much deeper in order to have the ball in his feet, that is his gameplay. Ronaldo doesn't really do that in the last few years and really not now when he is 33-34 years old. It's true that Bernandeschi had an amazing game but it doesn't really take away from the fact that Ronaldo had also an even more amazing game.

Edited March 14, 20197 yr by Gol15

To me the Messi and Ronaldo debate is quite similar to the Gerrard and Lampard debate. 

Both are amazing players who played in the same general area but were actually quite different players and hard to compare.

To me the biggest difference in each debate is that while who is better is debatable, what is not debatable is who was the greater natural talent and who was the one who had talent but just worked harder than everyone else around them to reach that next level of amazing consistency and being consistently amazing.

I prefer the later type of player and would put my money on them if I needed that game defining performance.

That's why I'd rather have Ronaldo in my team.

6 minutes ago, Slojo said:

Most of those fall right into being on the end of the final 3rd like I just pointed out... He's changed from the player he was at United, we saw that under Mourinho where he was effectively a poacher at Real Madrid and would score a scary amount of goals. 

Without a doubt an amazing goal scorer who gets on the end of just about anything, but as a player I think there are many players who are better than him, I don't truly believe or have ever believed Ronaldo has been the best footballer ever, best goal scorer sure. Hazard is a much better footballer than Ronaldo for instance, but never in a million years would he come close to scoring the goals Ronaldo scores. 

Well even now at 33-34 years old he has the pace for the highest level, that alone is impressive, he still goes to the wing and takes on players and more often than not he passes his first player like it was nothing it's usually the second that tackles him. I think that he evolved very well in his role and nobody does what he does better so it was also a logical way to adapt.
If someone like Inzaghi is considered a legend just because of his poacher abilities, Ronaldo is much more than that, I read that he even these days is the first player at the training ground and at the gym, a player like that really makes everyone else better.

Like I said maybe the best European player ever.

Who gives a sh*t, CHO will be twice as good as both put together. All aboard the hype train!

Arsenal ahead already. Can't see anything other than Arsenal going through now.

7 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Arsenal ahead already. Can't see anything other than Arsenal going through now.

Yeah shame. 

Arsenal will be going through 

1 hour ago, Munkworth said:

Who gives a sh*t, CHO will be twice as good as both put together. All aboard the hype train!

I'm in.

fcuk, poor stade rennais ???! Uefa did them though : the change of order in the matches, the lacazette situation ... 2 goals were offside. Really an ugly display and poor officiating from uefa in general. 

Slavia Prague potentilla just put out Sevilla in the last minute of extra time to go 4-3 up on the night and 6-5 up on aggregate, this would be an incredible result for them if they can hang on!

Chelsea
Arsenal
Villareal
Frankfurt
Napoli
Valencia
Benfica
Slavia Prague

whats the bet we get the goons