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Barcelona welcome Juventus to the Camp Nou on Tuesday in the last round of group-stage games in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League as Lionel Messi looks to renew acquaintances with his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time in two years.
While both clubs have already qualified for the knockout stage of the competition, the hosts need a point to be confirmed as group winners whereas the Bianconeri need to win by at least two goals to stand a chance of winning the group.
However, the group standings have taken a backseat for this match-up. Ever since the 2020-21 Champions League draw, the football fraternity has been awaiting the reunion of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the football field.
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That did not happen in Turin, a game Barcelona won 2-0, as Cristiano Ronaldo had to sit out after contracting COVID-19. However, the wait is over now, and the two players are all set to meet at Camp Nou.
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Five memorable meetings between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Over the years, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have locked horns with each other on 35 previous occasions.
While Lionel Messi's team won 16 such meetings, Cristiano Ronaldo's triumphed on ten occasions while nine other games ended as draws. Even in terms of goals scored in these fixtures, Lionel Messi edges Cristiano Ronaldo 22-19.
The two behemoths, who have defined this era in the sport, may be facing off for one of the last times in any competition. On that note, let's have a look at five of their most famous meetings.
#5 Manchester United 1-0 Barcelona - 2007-08 UEFA Champions League Semi-Final
This tie is known for Manchester United's dogged performance at the Camp Nou before Paul Scholes scored one of the best Champions League semi-final goals in competition history to lead his team to victory at Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in the first leg at Camp Nou, but it did not prove to be too costly. While this tie did not see any goal contributions from either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, it proved to be the beginning of a special rivalry.
Cristiano Ronaldo had established himself as Manchester United's main man, scoring 42 goals in the 2007-08 season while Lionel Messi had only broken into the first team at Barcelona.
Ronaldo delivered for the Red Devils in the final against Chelsea, scoring a header from a Wes Brown cross. Leading Manchester United to a league and Champions League double that season, Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned the Best Player in the World for the first time in his career, an award he would go on to win four more times.
Lionel Messi finished second in the Ballon d'Or voting that year as the two superstars began their duopoly on the coveted award.
#4 Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid - 2010-11 La Liga
Cristiano Ronaldo's first season at Real Madrid was hampered by an ankle injury that kept him out for two months. He still managed to post a return of 33 goals and 11 assists as Pellegrini's men ran Barcelona close with 96 points in the league, losing out by three points.
However, Florentino Perez brought in Jose Mourinho to the club in the summer after watching the latter's Inter produce a defensive masterclass at Camp Nou with ten men before winning the Champions League against Bayern Munich.
This Clasico in October 2010 had various narratives in addition to the rivalry between the two clubs. Guardiola came up against friend-turned-foe Mourinho after crashing out of the Champions League against the latter's side earlier in the year. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were also firing on all cylinders.
Eventually, it proved to be one of the biggest victories for the Cules, as they did a famous manita over their rivals, with Lionel Messi running the show. That would set the tone for the rest of the season as Barcelona won the league title again.
#3 Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid - 2011-12 La Liga
In what would prove to be Pep Guardiola's last season at Barcelona, Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid came to Camp Nou to quash the Cules' mini-revival and consolidate their position at the top of the La Liga table.
The Barcelona faithful were hopeful that a win at home would give them a fighting chance in the title race, but that did not happen.
A through-ball by Mesut Ozil put Cristiano Ronaldo through as he finished past Victor Valdes to put Los Blancos 2-1 up in the 73rd minute. That goal silenced a partisan 99,252-strong crowd - a record for the season.
That was followed by the famous 'calma' celebration by Cristiano Ronaldo, who directed it at the home crowd. While Lionel Messi top scored with 50 goals in the league that season, Ronaldo's 46 goals in the competition fired Real Madrid to a record 100 points with 121 goals scored.
More importantly, it broke Barcelona's domestic stranglehold, which partly contributed to Guardiola's exit at the end of the season.
#2 Barcelona 2:0 Manchester United - 2008-09 UEFA Champions League Final
In a repeat of the previous season's Champions League semi-final clash, Pep Guardiola's Barcelona came up against Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, who were the reigning champions.
It was a chance for Manchester United to become the first team in the Champions League era to successfully defend their title. In Cristiano Ronaldo, they had just the player for the occasion. However, Lionel Messi and co. had other ideas.
United started brightly, but things turned in Barcelona's favour after Samuel Eto'o opened the scoring. The Blaugrana soon fell into their rhythm and dominated the game.
Later in the second half, Xavi crossed from the right, and Lionel Messi rose highest between the towering Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic to head past Edwin van der Sar.
There would be no Manchester United comeback on the night, and Barcelona proved to be one of the most dominant teams in Europe in the coming years.
At the end of the season, Cristiano Ronaldo finally secured his record-breaking move to Real Madrid in an effort to beat Lionel Messi and Barcelona. In the process, a burgeoning rivalry would gain more steam.
#1 Barcelona 1(3): 1(1) Real Madrid - 2010-11 UEFA Champions League Semi-Final
In what would prove to be the peak of the rivalry between Pep Guardiola's Barcelona and Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, the rivals met four times in a fortnight as the toxicity between the two sides rose manifold.
There was division in the ranks as Xavi, Puyol and Casillas did their best to not allow club loyalties to affect the Spanish national team dynamic.
Jose Mourinho's men responded in a splendid manner to the 5-0 drubbing they received earlier in the season, beating Barcelona in extra time to win the Copa del Rey. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a towering header and had all the momentum going into the Champions League semi-final first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, prior to that game, Guardiola gave an explosive interview that may just have galvanised his troops.
Lionel Messi rose to the occasion, scoring twice, including a special solo goal that would form part of the Champions League highlight reel for ages. The 2-0 away win put Barcelona in the ascendancy, and a 1-1 draw at home proved enough to send the Blaugrana to the Champions League final.
In the title clash, Barcelona beat Manchester United 3-1, with Lionel Messi scoring again to deservedly retain his Ballon d'Or award.
