In the midst of one of the most difficult seasons of his Manchester United career, Cristiano Ronaldo’s current angst has been compounded by the threat Lionel Messi poses to his prized Champions League legacy. Messi is shining in a dominant Paris Saint-Germain team this season, helping them move ever closer to that illustrious goalscoring record…
Ronaldo’s attempts to move away from United in the summer were fueled by his desire to extend his lead at the top of the Champions League goalscoring standings. For the 37-year-old striker, it’s a record he will see as imperative to maintain as he attempts to go down in history as the top scorer in football history.
But after his 18 Premier League goals last season failed to inspire United to finish higher than sixth, he has been forced to watch Europe’s elite competition from the bench in recent months. And while he waits in the wings, playing the Europa League as a hobby, Messi is making the most of the absence of his fiercest rival.
PSG, as they usually do every season, have shown themselves to be contenders for the Champions League crown during the group stage. The electric form of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe continued in Tuesday’s 7-2 drubbing of Maccabi Haifa as the Ligue 1 champions continued their unbeaten start in 2022/23, winning all but four games in all competitions.
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The iconic Argentine scored two goals and assists each, increasing his Champions League tally for the season to seven direct appearances. His fine form in Europe has contributed to 11 goals and 12 assists in 16 games in all competitions.
Messi now has 129 career Champions League goals, just 11 behind Ronaldo’s total of 140 in his time at United, Real Madrid and Juventus. With Messi showing no signs of simmering his extraterrestrial production, concerns could be creeping into Ronaldo’s camp about the possibility of losing his position at the top of the pack.
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