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Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi and Juventus talisman Cristiano Ronaldo have some staggering records to their name. But it seems they manage to reach a new landmark and break more records every time they are on the pitch.
While both LaLiga leaders Barcelona and Serie A leaders Juventus were held to 2-2 and 3-3 draws respectively, Messi and Cristiano were a class apart.
Messi did what he does best- his brace last night salvaged a point for Barcelona after going 2-0 down early in the match. The Catalan giants were heading towards a loss when Messi scored from the penalty spot to reduce the gap before sending a bending shot into the net to make it 2-2 in the second half.
The Argentinian magician became the first player in Europe's top five leagues to score 20 goals or more this season. This also means that Messi has now scored 20 goals or more for 11 consecutive seasons, with his prolific run starting in 2008/09.
On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo is already the top scorer of Serie A in his first season at Italy. He has scored four braces for Juventus- his latest helping Juventus earn a draw against Parma. He has also provided eight Serie A assists in 2018/19 for Juventus, which is more than anyone else in his team.
Ronaldo's exploits have helped Juventus maintain their unbeaten streak in the Serie A this season. Despite a slow start in the Champions League campaign individually, we are all familiar with Cristiano's efficiency in the knockout stages.
Despite Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe challenging worthily, Messi may be the only player outperforming Cristiano at the end of the season. It is truly amazing how the Portuguese talisman will be turning 34 years old in a few days yet no player has ever had a better start to their Juventus career than Cristiano Ronaldo.
When Cristiano Ronaldo shocked the world by moving to Juventus from Real Madrid in the beginning of current 2018/19 season, fans and critics alike believed that the majestic rivalry between the greatest players of modern era would be over. As the season progresses, the epic rivalry between these two greats looks far from being over.
While almost every generation had great players, the consistency and the longevity of the two extraterrestrial footballers in this era is truly sensational. Despite both Messi and Cristiano being above 30, they are running the show in their respective leagues and driving their respective team forward.
They are still the ones people and players look up to in their respective teams and these two superstars are looking more and more hungry in the business end of the season.
As both these great players admitted, it is crystal clear that their competition help each other push their boundaries and set new records. Their rivalry and the hunger for success still motivates them, drives them forward and helps them make new landmarks every time they are on the pitch.
Despite getting older, it seems as if the consistency of two super humans will only propel each other towards more greatness. It is obvious that both Messi and Cristiano are not getting any younger and will only get slower with time but they are refusing to fade away into oblivion.
