Published 18:46 IST, February 7th 2020
What if Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo end up playing together at Juventus?
There have been a number of rumours linking Lionel Messi with an exit from Barcelona this week after the Argentine great was left unimpressed by Eric Abidal.
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There has been some turmoil at Barcelona this week. Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal was reportedly quoted as saying that a number of Barcelona players did not give it their all on the field during the Ernesto Valverde era. It prompted the eventual departure of the Spaniard. Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi then hit back at Abidal saying that the players did not have a problem with Valverde.
This turbulence has led to rumours that Lionel Messi will be looking for an exit from the club. The likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus now retain an interest in the services of the Argentinian great. Courtesy of Lionel Messi transfer rumours, fans have taken to speculating what it would be like if two of the greatest players in the history of the sport were to don the same colours.
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Could Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo end up playing together at Juventus
A vast majority of the Real Madrid faithful resigned themselves to losing Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer of 2018. While few clubs could afford to secure the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo that summer, Juventus emerged the frontrunners for his signature. Ronaldo ultimately ended up moving to Juventus on a reported €100 million transfer. With the controversy surrounding Lionel Messi and his situation with Barcelona, it would appear that Juventus are now following the developments of the Lionel Messi transfer story. Were Juventus to pursue a move for the Barcelona mainstay, two of the players with the most individual honours in world football will feature with the same team for the first time in the history of the sport.
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In case, the move goes through, Juventus would have two of the most marketable superstars in world football in their team. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have long divided the fanbase of world football. While the Cristiano Ronaldo fanbase claims that the Portugal superstar made it all the way to the top with sheer determination and hard work, they also claim that Lionel Messi was naturally gifted and, therefore, did not have to toil his way to the top. They have also argued that Cristiano Ronaldo remains the best player in the world after the five-time Ballon d'Or winner proved himself in three of Europe's top five leagues. If Lionel Messi were to sign for Juventus, Messi and Ronaldo would constitute one of the most lethal attacking outfits in the world. It would also put to bed the argument that Lionel Messi is a one-league wonder.
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However, Manchester City also remain strong contenders for the Argentinian great. Manchester City remain determined to bring Lionel Messi to England and are reportedly closely monitoring his situation at the club. However, there are reports that Pep Guardiola doesn't want to force Barcelona's hand for the move. He would only sanction a move to bring Lionel Messi to the Etihad if he were to be a free agent in the summer.
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18:46 IST, February 7th 2020