Messi-Ramos: from historical rivals in Barcelona-Real Madrid to companions in PSG

“Who would have thought that huh?”. Yesterday’s post on Instagram by Sergio Ramos perfectly summarizes the strange meeting in Paris, with the same shirt, of the two captains of Real Madrid and Barcelona. Sergio Ramos and Leo Messi, sworn enemies for fifteen seasons and now teammates in the Parisian sticker album. Yeah, who would have thought that. It is modern football, which moves more than ever on economic bases that cause flags to be lowered and create unthinkable crossings.

Sergio and Leo have in common that they have been dumped from the clubs they have led for years. And the fact that they left crying. The tears of the Spaniard are more sincere, but the sobs of the Argentine were no less evident.

agreements denied

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Florentino Perez has always had a conflicting relationship with Ramos, and as soon as he was able he got rid of it, making him a very low offer and, when the center accepted it, telling him that unfortunately it had expired. In Barcelona it went a little differently, but not too much: Messi and Barça had found the agreement, but at the time of signing at the Camp Nou they told him they were retiring. And then everyone in Paris, with a common goal: the hunt for the fifth Champions League. Sergio made his poker in 5 years, between 2014 and 2018, Leo spread it between 2006 and 2015. In these years, epochal clashes have been aired between the two, because those Clásicos were football wars. Kicks and insults, threats and revenge, heavy goals and jeers.

44 challenges

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Sergio is 15 months older than Leo, March 1986 versus June ’87. Between 2005 and 2020, two challenged each other 44 times (42 Clásicos and two matches between Spain and Argentina) with 19 victories for the Argentine and 16 for the Spaniard. Leo scored 27 goals, Sergio 5. Leo got 12 yellow cards, Ramos 27, with 5 reds. This is an interesting indicator of the always boiling temperature of those Barça-Madrid. The film of those 15 years is full frames that have written the recent history of European football. Just think of Sergio Ramos’ debut in the match: the famous 3-0 of Barça with the Bernabeu standing for the standing ovation to be dedicated to Ronaldinho. Young Messi played a great match. The following season is that of Leo’s hat-trick against Madrid in a 3-3 at Camp Nou which effectively brought La Liga to Capello’s Madrid. Then the arrival of Guardiola, the explosion of Messi and the frustration of Ramos who begins to collect a series of entries far beyond the limit on the opponent’s legs. Sergio was sent off in the 5-0 of the Camp Nou which marked the first Clásico of Mourinho, who built the demolition of that stellar Barça on the virulence of the Pepe-Ramos couple. Epic clashes symbolized by the “War of the Clásicos” of spring 2011. On YouTube there are compilations of Ramos a Messi fouls that frighten the viewer, a collection of “patadas” of the highest level of violence, a symbol of frustration and helplessness.

many episodes

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We can mention the direct expulsion of Ramos for an entry on Messi in 2016, or Leo’s revenge when Sergio nudged Luis Suarez, Messi’s best friend, the following year. And the verbal controversy: insults to Ramos’ mother and a “You only do it when you win huh?” of Messi to Ramos when the latter teased him by pretending to give him the ball and throwing it away. The defender who tells the attacker that he is a diver, with a certain amount of courage, the other who recriminates his violent attitude by leaning on decidedly more solid foundations. Messi grew up with Piqué as a bodyguard: Gerard started defending his little friend when the two were 13 and did so until a few days ago, now that the two are 34. Now fate has made Messi change his his protector, passing from Piqué to his great enemy, and former teammate, Sergio Ramos. Who would have thought?