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Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos have been arch-rivals ever since the latter joined Real Madrid in a record-breaking €27m move, back in 2005. After 16 years of constant conflict, the duo will soon be seen entering the pitch as teammates. The captains of their respective Clasico clubs, Messi and Ramos, were signed as free agents by PSG in a stroke of genius.
A disagreement over the length of his contract's extension led Sergio Ramos to bid an emotional farewell to Real Madrid. In a similar state of affairs at Barcelona, Lionel Messi was forced to vacate his number 10 jersey at the Catalan club, due to financial regulations implied by La Liga.
Sensing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, PSG decided to inflict a double whammy on the Spanish giants by plucking their most celebrated players, from right under their noses.
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Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos: head to head record
Real Madrid and Barcelona have been battling for supremacy ever since La Liga came into existence. Los Blancos currently lead the all-time El Clasico chart by a whisker, with 98 wins to the Blaugrana's 96 in all competitive matches.
The 2000s have arguably contested the most enticing encounters between the two sides, with Lionel Messi emerging as the difference-maker for Barcelona in most of their meetings.
Sergio Ramos' debut in the El Clasico, came in a 0-3 humbling at the hands of Ronaldinho, who earned a standing ovation from the Bernabeu crowd for his awe-inspiring performance.
Since then, Ramos has played in 47 matches, winning 15 of them. However, Lionel Messi possesses the bragging rights with 19 wins to his name. The two adversaries also hold the Clasico appearance record for their respective teams, with Sergio Ramos bettering Messi's tally of 45 by two.
In commemoration of their union, let's take a look at the top 5 clashes between Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively:
#5 Matchday 26 - La Liga, 2019 (Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona)
Fans were treated to an El Clasico bonanza in 2019, with the two contenders meeting thrice in the span of a month. The two-legged Copa del Rey semi-final, along with their second customary match in La Liga, comprised the aforementioned three Barcelona-Real Madrid encounters.
With a 1-1 draw in the first and a comprehensive 0-3 away win in the second, Barcelona dominated the first two outings. However, it was the La Liga game which collided Lionel Messi with Sergio Ramos.
With the score locked in at 0-1 in favor of the visitors, Barcelona were running riot at the Bernabeu. Lionel Messi tried to take advantage of a loose ball, making a run for it in the last minute of the first-half. As his path crossed with Sergio Ramos, the latter put up a hand which landed on the Argentine's face, sending him directly to the ground.
A heated confrontation followed, with Lionel Messi butting heads with the Real Madrid captain to exude his frustration. Ivan Rakitic's 26th minute goal proved to be the difference between the two sides as Barcelona successfully accomplished a double away-win streak over their bitter rivals in a matter of three days.
#4 Matchday 36 - La Liga, 2018 (Real Madrid 2-2 Barcelona)
Sergio Ramos is widely popular for putting in vicious tackles in an attempt to thwart any potential offensive threat. Subsequently, the Spaniard has collected a whopping 26 red cards in his professional career.
However, a La Liga clash against Barcelona in 2018 induced a rare moment that put Sergio Ramos at the receiver's end. More surprisingly, the player dishing out a reckless challenge was none other than Lionel Messi himself.
In the dying embers of the first-half, Lionel Messi rushed in to pressurize a cornered Sergio Ramos and cheekily steal possession. However, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner ended up nicking Ramos' shin as the Spanish veteran fell to the ground. The two were later heard exchanging some intense words.
The game ended in a draw with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both getting on the scoresheet. Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale provided the remaining goals, turning this match into another classic.
Also read: Firsts and lasts for Lionel Messi at Barcelona
#3 Supercopa de España - 2nd Leg, 2017 (Real Madrid 2-0 Barcelona)
Another instance involving a heated argument between Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos, the second-leg of 2017's Spanish Supercup ended in Real Madrid's favor, presenting them a 5-1 win on aggregate. Having thrashed Barcelona 1-3 in their own backyard, the men in white also dominated in their second meeting of the season.
As Real Madrid were running away with the tie, the Barcelona squad looked understandably frustrated with themselves. The game was halted in between to give the Catalan club a deserved restart.
Lionel Messi reached out to Sergio Ramos, asking for the ball in an attempt to resume the play as soon as possible. Under the pretext of help, Sergio Ramos cheekily lobbed the ball over the Argentine's head, compelling Lionel Messi to use 'Spain's most insulting phrase'.
With both players signing for PSG this summer, Mauricio Pochettino will shoulder the responsibility of resolving any remaining animosity between the two. However, early signs show that Sergio Ramos no longer holds a grudge over Lionel Messi despite the disrespect back in the day.
#2 Matchday 33 - La Liga, 2017 (Real Madrid 2-3 Barcelona)
A straight red to the home team's captain, a last-minute winner by the away team, and an iconic celebration. The 174th outing between Real Madrid and Barcelona had it all. Luis Enrique's men traveled to the Santiago Bernabeu, trailing Los Blancos by six points in the 33rd matchweek of La Liga. With just six matches left in the season, the Blaugrana were desperate for a win.
The game had tilted in Barcelona's favor due to a splendid curler by Ivan Rakitic in the 73rd minute. Four minutes later, the ball was launched to Lionel Messi who, after spotting acres of space in the opposition's half, decided to make a run for it.
However, Sergio Ramos had different plans for the Argentine forward as he lunged in with a lethal two-footed sliding challenge to throw Lionel Messi off the ball.
Consequently, the Real Madrid captain was shown a straight red, reducing the home side to 10 men.
Unsatisfied with the sending off, Sergio Ramos exited the pitch making suggestive gestures addressed to Gerard Pique, implying that his bickering influenced the decisions of the match officials.
The game ended 2-3 to Barcelona's benefit, following a wondrous Lionel Messi goal in the 11th hour.
#1 Matchday 13 - La Liga, 2010 (Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid)
The only match on this list to take place at the Camp Nou, Barcelona's 5-0 routing of a toothless Real Madrid, has forever been etched into El Clasico history. The game showcased Pep Guardiola's Barca team at their absolute finest.
The legendary squad dispatched Jose Mourinho's Madrid with stellar proficiency, handing Los Blancos one of their worst defeats ever. Furthermore, this match also featured one of the most barbarous scuffles in football history.
A hoard of Madrid players, led by Sergio Ramos, lodged a combined effort to foil Lionel Messi's run towards goal. As his Catalan teammates rushed in to protest against the grotesque behavior, an enraged Ramos grabbed Carles Puyol by the throat and shoved him to the ground.
What followed was a full-blown brawl between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Almost every player on the pitch was involved and Sergio Ramos was shown a straight red for his antics.
With the scoreline sitting at 5-0 to the Blaugrana, the result had already been decided at the time of Sergio Ramos' tackle. A skirmish had been in the making for a long while, with multiple conflicts occurring prior to the aforementioned incident.
Lionel Messi bagged two assists in the now-legendary game, firmly asserting Barcelona's dominance as they went on to win their 21st La Liga title that season.
Also read: 5 iconic Lionel Messi goal celebrations for Barcelona
