Player Ratings

Barcelona 0-3 Juventus, Player Ratings: Ronaldo double upstages Messi

The Portuguese smashed in twice from the spot as Ronald Koeman's were comprehensively outplayed at Camp Nou

 
10:57pm on Tuesday 8th December 2020
By
Paul Macdonald

Barcelona were comprehensively outplayed by Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo at Camp Nou, winning 3-0 against the sorry hosts.

Barca conceded top spot in the group in the process, but who were the standout performers?

Barcelona 0-3 Juventus, Player Ratings: Ronaldo upstages Messi at Camp Nou

✔️ GOOD PERFORMANCE

Cristiano Ronaldo: 8.6

You can tell this meant a lot to him. Ronaldo was full of energy and drive throughout the contest, constantly tracking back and even dispossession rival Lionel Messi on one occasion.

But he did what he does best - score. He won the penalty from Ronald Araujo using all of his experience, then fired into the net himself. And he kept his nerve to do the same in the second half with similar conviction. In the battle of Ronaldo v Messi, there was one clear winner here.

Lionel Messi: 8.5

But Messi, actually, tried everything possible to drag Barcelona to victory here and unfortunately his team-mates weren't willing to come with him.

Messi fired in a huge 11 shots in the contest, seven of them on target, but he just couldn't get the ball past Gigi Buffon, with the veteran producing an excellent display to deny the Argentine.

On another night Messi could have had a few, but this just wasn't to be, and the deficiencies of this team lie far beyond Messi.

BAD PERFORMANCE

Clement Lenglet: 5.1

The Frenchman was making his 100th appearance for Barcelona but it's one that he will absolutely want to forget.

He was run ragged by Ronaldo, bullied by Alvaro Morata and generally could not give the Barca defence any kind of control.

He compounded his misery by handballing in the second half - for which he should have been given a second yellow and subsequently sent off - and was hooked after 55 minutes. A nightmare.

STAR MAN

Gigi Buffon: 8.9

The veteran shot-stopper proved that he can still do it at this level, denying Lionel Messi on no less than seven separate occasions.

The pair endured a game-long battle for supremacy and it was Buffon who overwhelmingly came out on top, his voice heard loud in Camp Nou as he roared his team not only to victory, but to top place in the group.

Barcelona 0-3 Juventus, Player Ratings: Ronaldo upstages Messi at Camp Nou

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