Messi vs. Ronaldo 2014-15: Which Superstar Rose to Occasion in Week 4?
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's tremendous rivalry has continued to intensify in Week 4.
After a solid week in which both players did their best to carry their sides, the two superstars returned with equally compelling performances.
Ronaldo had a huge responsibility entering Week No.4. His team was struggling in all competitions and there was a great deal of talk about the superstar's unhappiness in Spain's capital. A Manchester United return seemed more and more likely as the losing mounted.
But Ronaldo, as he did in the loss against Atletico Madrid, sought to carry Los Blancos in their first Champions League match of 2014-15. And carry them he did. He was all over the pitch interchanging with Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez. He scored a goal to make it 3-0 and later helped set up the fourth goal by James Rodriguez when he pulled up at the right side of the box. Instead of trying to cut around the defender, he slotted a pass to the middle for Karim Benzema. The Frenchman's shot led directly to Rodriguez's tap in. Ronaldo's involvement in the fifth goal was arguably his defining moment. He received a pass from Benzema and immediately backheeled it onto the Frenchman's path for the eventual goal.
It was the kind of inspired performance that the team needed, and Ronaldo was leading the way.
But he was even better on Saturday against Deportivo La Coruna.
Ronaldo is undoubtedly a bonafide goalscorer, but anyone claiming he lacks playmaking vision would be have to correct their respective judgements after seeing how the Portuguese star helped setup his first goal. He made a neat pass for Alvaro Arbeloa on the right flank. The defender found some space and then lofted a perfect cross to Ronaldo, who headed it right into the back of the net. It was a perfect goal.
His second goal came from being at the right place at the right time, and his second was a timed shot from a Rodriguez pass. He completed 86 percent of his passes on the evening and spent the majority of his time in central spaces, thus facilitating space for Bale and Rodriguez on the wings.
Messi had an equally solid week, even if he never rose to the goalscoring heights of his rival. It must be said that under new manager Luis Enrique, Messi has transformed his game a bit. He remains a goalscoring threat, but he is no longer the only one. Instead Messi seems to have the opportunity to open up his teammates for new chances. Take his second assist for Sandro in the recent match against Levante. Messi was in on goal and had a defender to take on. Instead, he opted for finding the open man and helping create the goal. He also created an assist for Neymar in that same Spanish League tilt and finished off the game with a goal of his own. Messi now has a total of three goals in La Liga and four assists in just four matches. The only blemish on that game was that he could have added another goal, but misfired woefully on his penalty attempt in the first half.
His other game in the Champions League was also solid, though hardly as dominant. He created the assist on Barcelona's lone goal, had 102 touches and completed 80 percent of his passes. A good game but not on the same level he had in the other match.
Both players continued their spectacular play, but Ronaldo slightly edges rival for the first time this season. He had two dominant performances and scored four goals while assisting on one. Messi had one goal and three assists over the two games. Messi now leads the competition 2-1 after four weeks (the third week did not count since Ronaldo did not play).
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