Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo May Finally Face Each Other Again After 2 Years

Ultimate rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may finally face each other inside the pitch again after two years.

Messi vs. Ronaldo has become one of the most interesting face-offs in the history of professional sports. The legendary players have intensified their rivalry in their “El Clasico” matches in La Liga. And now, two years after they last played against each other, “Leo” and “CR7” could be set for another showdown in the semi-finals of this year’s Champions League.

According to RT, following Friday's draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, match-ups show that there may be some interesting games to look forward to. The quarter-finals match-ups are already in place, and Ronaldo could be all set to face his former club, Real Madrid.

The Portuguese’s current side, Juventus, now has the chance to collide with Madrid if the Spaniards will be able to steal the first-leg deficit away from Premier League giants Manchester City. Moving on to the next round, if Ronaldo and the Old Lady thump the winner of Man City and Madrid, Juventus will face the final winners of Barcelona vs. Napoli and Chelsea vs. Bayern.

Should Barca manage to survive in the second leg, it is likely that the Catalans will take on Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. But Frank Lampard's Chelsea will not make it easy for the German side.

However, if everything goes well for Barcelona against Napoli or either Chelsea or Bayern, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner will cross paths with his nemesis, Ronaldo.

Aside from possibly reliving the Messi vs. Ronaldo rivalry, the draw also suggests that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola could find himself returning to the Camp Nou.

Given Barca’s situation and Man City’s success, it has been speculated that Guardiola’s side could potentially add more misery to what has already been a disappointing season for the Catalans. However, a Messi-Guardiola reunion is undeniably still a moment to witness.

Messi and Ronaldo’s last duel was on May 6, 2018, when the two were still battling it out for La Liga supremacy. The El Clasico match ended in a 2-2 draw, with both Messi and Ronaldo scoring one goal apiece.

Their last Champions League head-to-head happened on May 3, 2011, which also ended in a draw (1-1).

Due to the hiatus caused by the pandemic, four teams had already qualified for the quarterfinals of this year’s Champion’s League. RB Leipzig will take on Atletico Madrid, while Paris Saint-Germain is set to face Serie A giants Atalanta.