The sight of Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos as team-mates at Paris Saint-Germain is still taking some getting used to after their many years being bitter foes at Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Indeed, it seems that the two players themselves haven’t let old habits die, with Messi giving Ramos an icy death stare in training after the defender caught him slightly late with a challenge.
On the record, at least, the pair are happy to let bygones be bygones as they link up in the French capital.
“At first, it was weird after so many years of being rivals, being the two captains of Barcelona and Madrid, after so many Clasicos played, so many fights we had on the pitch,” Messi told Marca, shortly after joining Ramos at the Parc des Princes.
“But all that is in the past and we have always respected each other a lot, no matter how much we have been rivals in those Clasicos. Having him as a team-mate today is spectacular.”
Ramos even reportedly offered Messi and his family a place to stay when the Argentinian completed his shock move to the Ligue 1 giants last summer. The centre-back has spoken in the past of his “huge respect” for his long-time rival.
With all that said, the two are fierce competitors and had some fiery clashes when they faced off in El Clasico. Here are five of their most memorable spats.
November 2010
Jose Mourinho’s first Clasico in charge of Real Madrid was a spectacular one.
Barcelona won 5-0 and treated us to one of the finest displays of football you’re ever likely to see – you can rewatch the whole match on YouTube and we can barely think of a better way to spend two hours.
As well as some wonderful football, the contest was gloriously spicy. Thirteen yellow cards were dished out – five for Barcelona, eight for Real Madrid – and eventually Ramos lost his head completely.
Jeffren (remember him?) had just added the fifth in injury-time and Ramos clearly let his frustration get the better of him, absolutely walloping Messi as the little wizard drove at the defence one more time.
Madrid’s No.4 was given his marching orders and a full-on brawl was sparked between both sets of players, but we’re sure deep down Ramos enjoyed it and has no regrets.
It would’ve surely given Ramos satisfaction to lay one on the attacker that had tormented him all game, and according to former team-mate Jerzy Dudek, he had a personal grudge against the Barcelona icon.
“He…
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