el clásico previews15th april 2011:
cr-7 v. messi
The two greatest players in world football go head to head today in round one of their four upcoming battles! The adiZero magician and the Mercurial master will face off in a true test of their big-game abilities as Barcelona and Real Madrid battle for supremacy in four matches across three tournaments.
Lionel Messi has been involved in more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo in the top five European leagues this season.Both have surpassed everyone this season in terms of goal involvement. Having scored one more goal than Ronaldo, Messi has also been far more creative with 17 assists, more than twice as many as the Portuguese international.
Ronaldo has had more shots than any other player (212) but he has been less clinical in his finishing than Messi who converts one in every four attempts. Messi also attempts more passes (over 30 more than Ronaldo per game)
Lionel Messi has been involved in more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo in the top five European leagues this season.Both have surpassed everyone this season in terms of goal involvement. Having scored one more goal than Ronaldo, Messi has also been far more creative with 17 assists, more than twice as many as the Portuguese international.
Ronaldo has had more shots than any other player (212) but he has been less clinical in his finishing than Messi who converts one in every four attempts. Messi also attempts more passes (over 30 more than Ronaldo per game)
In the first 'El Clasico' of the season back in November, Barcelona put in the ultimate clinical performance. The game will be remembered as one of the most clinical and complete performances from Barcelona. The quality of the team performance made Madrid look distinctly average - a feeling Ronaldo isn't used to. Even if Ronaldo can maintain his impressive amount of shots per game, the Real Madrid goal-machine will be up against one of the most challenging keepers in football. Victor Valdés has saved 81% of shots he has faced this season in the Spanish top flight. The Spanish shot stopper has only conceded 14 goals this season in La LIga. Another stat that Ronaldo will be well aware of heading into El Clasico is that the Portuguese international has never scored or assisted a goal when playing against Lionel Messi at club level. Incredibly, Ronaldo has a poor record against the No.1 player in the world that stretches back to his early days at Manchester United. 