In La Liga Loop - Messi and Ronaldo: Return to the Pichichi Race

By The Stock

It was seconds out round two last night as Argentina and Portugal took to the field in Geneva to facilitate the ongoing battle between the world’s two dominant footballing icons: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Earlier this season, a Messi inspired Barcelona bloodied the nose of Ronaldo and Mad
 rid by inflicting a humiliating 5-0 defeat on Los Blancos, putting daylight firmly between the two teams in pursuit of the La Liga title. After weekend fixtures that saw Messi dispatch Atletico Madrid with a masterful hat-trick and Ronaldo grab a brace against Real Sociedad, the pair stand neck-a-neck on 24 league goals apiece.

 

Messi celebrates another Barca victory over Madrid

Last night’s friendly served as an interesting interlude in the duo’s tit-for-tat exchanges in pursuit of this season’s Pichichi award for the top marksman in La Liga. A sublime through-ball from Messi saw Ángel Di María put the Argentines one up before Ronaldo levelled proceedings with a powerful effort from 10 yards. Having been given the captain’s armband from Paulo Bento, the Portuguese was in sparkling forms before his substitution on the hour leaving Leo the chance to steal the spotlight with a last minute penalty. He duly converted to give Argentina victory.

Following underwhelming performances at last year’s World Cup, both have breathed a sigh of relief in returning to their La Liga stomping ground that has seen Messi bag 82 goals in his last 83 games. Ronaldo has 50 in 51.

The race is back on this weekend when Barça travel to Sporting Gijón on the back of a record breaking 16 game winning streak. Los Merengues have, on paper, a trickier away fixture at Cornella-El Prat against 6^th place Espanyol. Both players view any fixture as ample opportunity to add to their tallies but will have their eye firmly on April 14^th. El Santiago Bernabéu. El Clasico.

Let battle commence.