Both Messi and Ronaldo switched clubs last summer; while Messi made an emotional exit from his childhood club Barcelona and joined PSG, Ronaldo made a sensational return to Manchester United after spending three years in Serie A with Juventus.
It could be claimed that it hasn’t gone to plan for either of them. While Messi hasn’t yet lit up Ligue 1, Ronaldo has been part of United’s disappointing season.
Let’s look at the stats -
Messi
Overall Stats
Games: 20
Goals: 7
Assists: 8
Penalties scored: 2
Minutes per goal: 230.3
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 322.4
Minutes per goal or assist: 107.5
Ligue 1 Stats
Games: 14
Goals: 2
Assists: 8
Penalties scored: 0
Minutes per goal: 536
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 268
Minutes per goal or assist: 107.2
Chances created per 90 minutes: 3.0
Passes per 90 mins (passing accuracy): 66.3 (85.7%)
Shots per 90 minutes (inside penalty area): 4.3 (1.6)
Pressing per 90 mins (success rate): 8.74 (24%)
Minutes per goal: 145.2
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 169.4
Minutes per goal or assist: 119.6
Premier League Stats
Games: 19
Goals: 8
Assists: 3
Penalties scored: 2
Minutes per goal: 185.1
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 246.8
Minutes per goal or assist: 134.6
Chances created per 90 minutes: 0.9
Passes per 90 mins (passing accuracy): 31.4 (80.3%)
Shots per 90 minutes (inside penalty area): 4.0 (2.9)
Pressing per 90 mins (success rate): 6.46 (30.2%)
Messi has got off to an underwhelming start in Paris, being involved in just 12 goals in 17 games.
Messi has just one league goal in 44 shots taken. Messi has the SECOND-WORST shots to goals ratio in ALL of Europe’s top five leagues. Only Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo has performed worse in that department. The right-back has netted once from 46 shots.
Ronaldo finished last season as the top scorer in Serie A with 29 goals in 33 appearances. Since his return to Man United, he has scored only 8 goals and is 13th player on the top scorers list. Hopeful he fire up for Premier League title charge.
He has been more effective than the numbers may suggest. Games against many teams like Lorient and Saint-Étienne, probably would have ended in defeat were it not for Messi.
Messi has also struck the goal frame eight times this season, more than anyone else in Europe, which suggests the goals will come soon.
It is, however, inescapable that Messi remains a long way from his Barcelona peak, or even his form last season.
Gary Lineker: “Messi will be 35 in June.” Ronaldo has just celebrated his 37th birthday. We should probably lower our expectations. “They always do wonderful things, but even these football gods can’t challenge time forever.”
So true