The World's Biggest Stars Battle in 'El Clasico'
The World's Biggest Stars Battle in 'El Clasico'
Posted by: ultraroma Posted Date: April 9, 2010 Last Update: April 9, 2010
Total Views: 375
This weekend the two biggest brands in world football - Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - face off in one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the season as Real Madrid host Barcelona at the Bernabeu.
Who's on better form? Opta Stats breaks it all down for you.
| Ronaldo | La Liga and Champions League | Messi |
| 27 | Appearances | 36 |
| 2207 | Minutes played | 2980 |
| Goal Attempts | ||
| 25 | Goals | 34 |
| 141 | Total shots | 135 |
| 88.3 | Mins per Goal | 87.6 |
| 52% | Shooting accuracy | 68% |
| 18% | Goals-to-shots ratio | 25% |
| Passing | ||
| 5 | Assists | 9 |
| 65 | Chances created (inc. assists) | 67 |
| 34.0 | Mins per Chance Created | 44.5 |
| 992 | Passes | 1637 |
| 79% | Pass completion % | 85% |
| Crossing | ||
| 86 | Crosses | 64 |
| 16% | Cross completion % | 28% |
| Dribbling | ||
| 133 | Dribbles | 262 |
| 53% | Dribble completion % | 63% |
Madrid's Golden Boy Ronaldo has hit 25 goals so far this season in La Liga and the Champions League, an impressive total in most any year but still a long way short of Messi's 34. Although both players are scoring at an 88 minute rate, Messi requires fewer shots to find the back of the net, hitting the target with 68% of his efforts and seeing one in four beat the goalkeeper.
In other areas, the Argentine seems to be leaving his Portuguese counterpart in the dust - setting up more goals, completing a higher proportion of his passes and crosses, as well as attempting over twice as many dribbles against defenders.
But this is what makes this weekend's match up so intriguing: we get to see them battle one another on the pitch.
Comments (1 - 8)
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They are both awfully close statistically. This has got to be the biggest game of the season so far - Barca with the slight edge based on head to head records. It's going to come down to the defenses in this one and I like Barcelona 3-2. | |
| Posted: 04/09/2010 09:01 AM PST | LOGIN TO REPLY | |
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They are both awfully close statistically. This has got to be the biggest game of the season so far - Barca with the slight edge based on head to head records. It's going to come down to the defenses in this one and I like Barcelona 3-2. I like the 3-2 Barca score too. Seems that Messi has Ronaldo edged in several of the offensive departments, but I do think that Ronaldo shows up this weekend all pissed with all the attention that Messi has been getting. |
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| Posted: 04/09/2010 10:40 AM PST | LOGIN TO REPLY | |
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I'm starting to wonder if Ronaldo and van der Vaart don't start laying down markers in advance of the World Cup - Ronaldo because he can be a prick and wants all the limelight, and then van der Vaart because he wants to remind the Dutch that there is more to their midfield than Robben and Sneijder | |
| Posted: 04/09/2010 12:10 PM PST | LOGIN TO REPLY | |
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I'm starting to wonder if Ronaldo and van der Vaart don't start laying down markers in advance of the World Cup - Ronaldo because he can be a prick and wants all the limelight, and then van der Vaart because he wants to remind the Dutch that there is more to their midfield than Robben and Sneijder This was a lot closer than I expected in the percentages. Clearly Messi has played in a lot more games because of Ronaldo's injuries and two red cards, so it should be quite a contest tomorrow. Most important game of the year so far. |
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| Posted: 04/09/2010 01:57 PM PST | LOGIN TO REPLY | |
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Which is why I don't like ROnaldo despite his grandiose scoring. I'll choose character over anyting first. | |
| Posted: 04/09/2010 08:47 PM PST | LOGIN TO REPLY | |
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Hopefully I'll get to watch this match up either on ESPN3.com or on ESPN2 at 3PM EST which I believe is being aired. | |
| Posted: 04/10/2010 08:12 AM PST | LOGIN TO REPLY | |
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Hopefully I'll get to watch this match up either on ESPN3.com or on ESPN2 at 3PM EST which I believe is being aired. You have GolTV? If not, I hear ESPN Deportes is carrying it in Spanish because Gol has the North American English TV rights. |
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| Posted: 04/10/2010 08:22 AM PST | LOGIN TO REPLY | |
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You have GolTV? If not, I hear ESPN Deportes is carrying it in Spanish because Gol has the North American English TV rights. No I don't but fortune would have it today I was passing through my neighbor hood and a hispanic gentilmen had a barcelona jersey on and I stopped and talked to him and he invited me to come to his house and watch the game. Which I did. Good game. |
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| Posted: 04/10/2010 05:28 PM PST | LOGIN TO REPLY | |
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