Spanish press relish ‘return of most anticipated duel’ between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go head-to-head on Tuesday night for the first time since May 2018 and the Spanish press are talking about little else. 

Barcelona and Juventus have already qualified for the Champions League knockout stages but Tuesday night provides a rare chance to see both superstars play against each other once more. 

Ronaldo was kept out of the first fixture after contracting coronavirus but is primed and ready to battle it out with his old foe. 

AS looked ahead to the ‘most anticipated duel’ between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

The last meeting between the two superstars was back in 2018 when Ronaldo was at Real 

Mundo Deportivo and Marca both looked ahead to the renewing of the old rivalry

Every football fan has their pick as to who is the better player and the papers in Spain have all led on Messi vs Ronaldo. 

Marca’s headline: ‘Just like old times’, is an almost nostalgic look at the rivalry between both men when Ronaldo was at Real. 

While AS dubbed the match-up: ‘The most anticipated duel’, adding ‘former Balon d’Or winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi face off again for the first time in over two years after the Portuguese international missed the reverse fixture in Turin after testing positive for Covid-19. Barcelona and Juventus do battle to see who will top Group G. 

And Mundo Deportivo went along similar lines with their headline: ‘Return of the duel’. The Catalan publication added: ‘Two superstars of world football Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo face each other again as Juventus head to Catalonia, in their 36th meeting. Barcelona won the reverse fixture 2-0 in Turin earlier this season. 

SPORT noted that with both teams struggling, this game is somewhat of an illusion 

SPORT wrote: ‘Let the illusion return’, a nod to recent struggles from both Barcelona and Juventus in comparison with the glory days of both teams and their protagonists.  

And in Italy, Corrierre dello Sport asked the question: ‘Who is stronger, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Who will inherit the legacy of Diego Maradona?

Ronald Koeman has been careful with 33-year-old Messi this season and tried to manage his work load. 

Messi and Co have been struggling desperately in LaLiga and this could offer some respite

Ronaldo will be keen to show his class against the man some put above him as the greatest

But the Argentine was desperate to lock horns with Ronaldo so the manager is allowing him to play at the Nou Camp. 

Messi has been rested in Europe and Barcelona have beaten Dynamo Kiev 4-0 and Ferencvaros 3-0 without him but he’ll be keen to stamp his authority of the game and outshine Ronaldo. 

At 35, despite his excellent conditioning, Ronaldo is entering the final chapter of his career and this may yet be the final time both legends of the game grace the same pitch.