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Sworn rivals now team mates at PSG

Wednesday, August 11th, 2021 00:00 | By
Lionel Messi (left) clashes with Sergio Ramos during a past El Classico between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Photo/AFP

Paris, Tuesday 

Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos certainly did not see eye-to-eye during their time on the El Clasico divide - with bad blood spilling over on numerous occasions.

For the best part of 15 years, Messi and Ramos enjoyed many incredible clashes during the most glamourous fixture in European football as the two Spanish giants battled it out for LaLiga glory season after season.

While there was respect between the two on a playing level, there was definitely no love lost, however, and the pair didn’t hide their ill-feelings towards each other.

But after years and years of fierce battles, the duo sensationally link up at Paris Saint-Germain with Messi joining the French giants as he finally arrived in Paris with his wife and children for his medical with PSG where he will sign a Sh150 million (£1million)-per-week, two-year deal after leaving cash-strapped Barcelona.

The 34-year-old was pictured at Barcelona airport alongside his wife Antonella and their three children, Thiago, eight, Mateo, five, and Ciro, three.

Antonella, 33, later posted a selfie alongside her husband as they sat on their private jet waiting to fly to France.

PSG also posted a teasing clip to their Twitter account, showing six Ballon d’Ors - the amount Messi has won - in front of the Eiffel Tower and a space in the dressing room between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who the Argentine is likely to play alongside with in attack.

Its going to be some story - something football fans would never have imagined when delving into the bitter history between the pair.

Their rivalry finally came to an end earlier this summer when former Real Madrid captain and centre back Ramos completed a free transfer to PSG to bring his illustrious 16-year spell to a close. 

Little did anyone know that Messi would soon be following in his footsteps after Barcelona failed to agree a contract extension for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner - plunging the Spaniards into further chaos amid their financial crisis.

And perhaps the pair will be thankful that they may be linking up rather than lining up on either side of the pitch - arguably Ramos more so than Messi.

Ramos, on many occasions, has experienced Messi’s magic during the El Clasico and it’s fair to say that the Spanish great hasn’t taken well to the Argentine’s trickery.

Ramos has conjured up a whole host of nasty tackles on Messi down the years as Madrid struggled to deal with his mesmering skills.

In fact, Ramos has even been sent off twice for kicking out at one of Barcelona’s greatest ever player.

The first time was when Barcelona humiliated their arch rivals Madrid at the Nou Camp 5-0 in November 2010.

In stoppage-time with Barcelona taking the mickey, Messi embarrassed Ramos with his close control and dribbling and after getting away from his fierce rival, the Spaniard decided to get some revenge.

Ramos completely and needlessly hacked the Argentine down - leading to him receiving his marching orders in the 93rd minute to compound Madrid’s misery.  -Daily Mail

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