Could Cristiano Ronaldo join PSG play with Messi?

rusanva1 (28)in #sports • 2 years ago

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson believes Cristiano Ronaldo should join Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain so that he can play in the Champions League.

Despite Ronaldo's recent good form at Manchester United, the Red Devils are five points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, having played two more games.

"This might be Cristiano Ronaldo's last year in the Premier League," Merson told Sportskeeda.

"He'll want to play in the Champions League - he's played in it all his career.

"I'd be surprised if [incoming United manager] Erik ten Hag wants him there to be honest. He's trying to build his team, and Ronaldo is 37 years old.

"PSG could go for him and make him their short-term replacement for Kylian Mbappe. PSG only want one thing - the Champions League.

"Ronaldo is a proven asset in the competition - he's scored goals, he sells shirts, he's done it all."

Ronaldo has never missed the Champions League since his professional football career began in 2002.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi

The prospect of Ronaldo and Messi playing for the same team is mouth-watering and it's something Merson thinks could happen.

"Ligue 1 is an easy league, and Ronaldo will be able to focus on the Champions League at PSG," said Merson.

"With Messi already at the club, we may well see two of the greatest players of all time playing for the same team."

Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United is looking increasingly worrying, despite his consistent ability to find the back of the net, having scored 17 goals from 28 Premier League games.

In fact, the 37-year-old is the second-top scorer in the Premier League, only behind Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

However, United are enduring one of their worst seasons in recent history and are five points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, having played two more games.

"There is no point in talking and speculating now about the Champions League," Ralf Rangnick said ahead of United's game with Chelsea earlier this week.

"We must be realistic. Not even winning the four games we have ahead [now three] would be in our hands to qualify for the Champions League."

Following their 1-1 draw against Chelsea, the Red Devils were strongly criticised by former captain Roy Keane.

"I think their heads are gone now," Keane told Sky Sports.

"There is no intensity, all season they've been giving up a lot of opportunities, we've seen it again tonight."

The reality is that United's season has been a failure, despite the big-name signings that arrived in the summer such as Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Ronaldo, who has seen how his homecoming has become a nightmare that may end without a spot in the Champions League next season.

Ronaldo has never missed the Champions League :

Since making his debut for Sporting CP in 2002/03, Ronaldo has always played in the Champions League.

Even in that first season as a youth player, he played a third-round qualifying match with the Lions against Inter, although they did not qualify and instead played in the UEFA Cup.

In the subsequent 2003/04 campaign, already as a United player, Ronaldo debuted in the group stage of the Champions League in a 2-1 defeat against Stuttgart.

Since then, he has always played and is the all-time Champions League top goalscorer (140 goals), while he also has the record for the most goals in a season (17), most goals in the knockout stages (67), most games played (187) and has played in three finals.

Remarkably, Ronaldo's incredible run to feature in Europe's biggest competition could come to an end if he stays at United, something Rangnick couldn't confirm.

"Continuity is something we should talk about between Erik ten Hag and the board and me," said Rangnick.

2 years ago in #sports by rusanva1 (28)

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