Clasico Goalscorer Picks: Messi versus Ronaldo
As Barcelona host Real Madrid tonight, the individual battle between their two star players resumes.
The battle of our footballing generation resumes once again this evening, with evil facing good, big facing small, handsome facing… well, not so handsome.
When it comes to the great Messi v Ronaldo debate there are clearly defined preconceptions, with the diminutive Argentine portrayed as a carefree cherub, sprinkling magic wherever his labyrinthine runs take him, and his powerful Portuguese rival viewed as the embodiment of Brylcreemed narcissism.
Put simply, people tend to like Leo Messi and not care too much for Cristiano Ronaldo.
In the way that Shakira’s hips and the camera both don’t lie, nor do the statistics when it comes to Ronaldo’s goalscoring efforts in Clasicos.
Primera Division Espanyol win £115.00 (19/4) Draw £80.00 (3/1) Barcelona win £31.00 (11/20) Espanyol 0-0 Barcelona £290.00 (27/2) Espanyol 1-0 Barcelona £460.00 (22/1) Espanyol 1-1 Barcelona £150.00 (13/2)
Yet if there is a gaping chasm in their public perception, in the La Liga goalscorer standings the two cannot be separated, with both men having scored a ludicrous 41 goals each.
This evening’s Clasico is therefore not only a chance for each team to gain three possibly title winning points, but also affords the two main men an opportunity to take a lead in the race for the Pichichi (top scorer) award, which has in recent seasons become a duel between these two most different of players.
In the way that Shakira’s hips and the camera both don’t lie, nor do the statistics when it comes to Ronaldo’s goalscoring efforts in Clasicos.
In the 12 Clasicos that have been played since he joined Madrid in 2009, the Portuguese has scored five goals.
In the same time his Argentine nemesis has scored seven, although it is interesting to note that the majority of both men’s goals have come in the Spanish cup or the Champions League; Ronaldo has scored just once against Barca in La Liga.
The Madrid number nine is priced at 7/5 to score at any time at Camp Nou, while Messi can be backed at 4/5 to get on the scoresheet.
If bad news, as they say, comes in threes then a Ronaldo hat-trick, priced at 33/1, would represent a disaster for Barcelona, apart from if Messi himself were to score three goals or more which is on offer at 12/1.
But perhaps the most tempting goalscorer bet it to back one of these two great players to score two goals or more, something that Ronaldo has done on 15 occasions this season, and Messi on 17.
You can back the Barca man at 7/2 to score two or more, while his Madrid counterpart is on offer at 15/2.
For a full betting preview of Barcelona v Real Madrid, click here.
New customers can register here to claim a free £25 bet or click here to see all our La Liga odds.
Follow us on Twitter @bwinbetting