Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who are considered as two of the greatest players in the football history, will come face to face on Wednesday (December 9, 2020) when the LaLiga champions Barcelona will host the Serie A giants Juventus in the Champions League group stage match.
The two players will play against each other for the first time since Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018.
While the Catalans head into the final match of this season's CL group stage to ensure a top spot and a perfect six wins from six games, the Juventus will look forward to get their fifth win.
The duo would have been in action together during Barcelona-Juventus clash in Turin in the group stage earlier, but the Portuguese star couldn't play as he was tested positive for COVID-19.
Leo Messi Cristiano Ronaldo. Who scores the best goals?#UCL pic.twitter.com/Ii6UX6Kxg2
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 8, 2020
Where to watch: You can watch Ronaldo-Messi sharing the same field on Sony Ten 2. The match can also be watched on the streaming platform - Sony Liv.
When to watch: The match will kick-off at 1:30 AM IST on Wednesday (December 9, 2020).
Facts:
- Messi and Ronaldo have met five times in the Champions League so far, with the Argentinian leading 3-0 over the Portuguese in terms of goals scored.
- This match is Ronaldo and Messi's first encounter in the competition since the semi-final in May 2011 between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
- This encounter is also the first-ever match between the two with Ronaldo donning the Juventus jersey.
H I S T R Y
Cristiano Ronaldo & Leo #Messi pic.twitter.com/kBElYkoBRg— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 7, 2020
- The Portuguese has played more UEFA Champions League games without scoring against Barcelona (5) than he has versus any other team.
- CR7 has scored 15 goals in his last 20 appearances versus Barcelona across all competitions, including the goals in two of his last three games against them during his stay at the Madrid.
- Barcelona have remained unbeaten in their last four games against Juventus in the CL (2W, 2D), while they also won two of the three games played in the group stage (1D).
- Juventus' only away win against Barcelona in the CL was in 2003 (2-1), having not won any of their two away games against the Spaniards since then in the competition - 0-0 in 2016/17 and 0-3 in 2017/18.
- Ronaldo's side has won nine of their last 10 matches of the Champions League group stage, with the only defeat coming in the first leg against Messi's Barcelona.
#BarçaJuve #JuveUCL #FinoAllaFine pic.twitter.com/0obKBbEfCV
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) December 8, 2020
- In total, the Spanish and Italian giants have met 10 times in the CL so far and at various stages of the competition. Till date, the balance is four wins for the Barca, two wins for the Juve and four draws.
Teams:
FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Dest, Araújo, Lenglet, Alba, Pjanić, De Jong, Messi, Griezmann, Pedri, Braithwaite.
Juventus FC: Buffon, Danilo, Bonucci, Alex Sandro, Cuadrado, Arthur, McKennie, Chiesa, Ramsey, Morata, Ronaldo.
