Here's R10's KO goal scoring for Barcelona in CL in 5 years:
03/04: 0, think we were Europa league (not his fault, obviously. I'm not agenda driven like BBZ).
04/05: 2, versus Chelsea
05/06: 2, versus Chelsea and Benfica
06/07: 0
07/08: 0
So, R10 in 4 (or 5) years scored 4 CL KO goals for Barcelona. Does that mean CR7 is 15 times the player that R10 is because he has 60 KO goals? CR7 is a better player than R10 because of longevity but you see the problem in only looking at certain numbers do you not?
And R10 is one of your favorite players, BBZ. You going to shit on him too?
My point is that Messi's first years were GOAT.
After that something happened.
Remember that mysterious illness when he used to throw up during matches.
My theory is that he either had some arrhythmia attacks and freaked out because of it and was afraid to force himself to 120% ever again.
Or he had some anxiety attacks or similar.
But Messi was not the same after 2013-2014.
Till then I would never say that he was frightened on away matches.
I don't know was it a disease, was it him becoming a father, was it some unknown personal problems (he is kinda a weird man-child person, some even said semi-authistic), or was it a media pressure about Messi-Cr7 rivalry.
But in the last few years he turned into Jekyll and Hyde type of a person.
An unstoppable Goat in surroundings where he feels safe (Camp Nou matches and La liga matches) and a shadow of himself away from home (Nt matches, CL away matches).
Till 2012-2013-2014, I laughed to Messi-Cr7 comparisons.
But the thing is, Cr7 was better in the last few years due to his motivation and due to Barca being unable to stop Real in a CL since we (led by Messi) were losing against anyone so we never actually played against Real.
Today for me there are two Messis:
1. the young one who was awesome both in La liga and cheating codes in a CL
2. and an older Messi, with Messipendencia, who is an advantage only against average La liga teams, but who is very easy to neutralize in Europe, due to a decline in pace, stamina and due to his change in personality as explained above
So, Messi from early days was a GOAT.
But Messi from the last few years is just a human.
On par with R10, R9, Maradona and other guys.
And as explained, in the last 5-6 years, I would give a vote to Cr7 over Messi due to 4Cls+Euro versus 1 Cl.
Messi declined a lot compared to his early days.
The same as R9 after injuries.
Or R10 after 2006.
In that sense, I think that you guys are overrating this older version of Messi because he is ours and due to his early days.
I don't have any bad words for younger Messi.
Also, Messi is way more talented than Cr7.
Yet, Cr7 achieved equal or more with less talent.
In my eyes, in general, Messi could have achieved more.
Barto is guilty, his teammates were not perfect, but he is also guilty.
Dropping deep, not playing on a wing, sulking after 0:1 in Europe, insiting to play every match for 90 minutes, playing Mickey Mouse Cdr matches etc.
and lose 100m instead paying a player who doesn't give a fuck anymore.
