With Cristiano Ronaldo set to miss the elite tournament he dominated for more than a decade, his Ballon d’Or arch-rival Lionel Messi now has a chance to do the impossible in the 2022-2023 edition of the UEFA Champions League. After a disastrous campaign with Paris Saint Germain (PSG) in the Champions League last season, Argentine stalwart Messi has hit a purple patch in the Ligue 1. Four-time Champions League winner Messi is set to lead the charge of the Kylian Mbappe-starrer side after shattering multiple records in the French top light. Messi’s PSG side is unbeaten in six Ligue 1 matches.
All eyes will be on Messi, who is set to rewrite history in Europe’s biggest competition at the club level. One of the greatest players in the history of the game, Messi is the only player to have managed to score in 16 successive campaigns for the same team at the UEFA Champions League. Messi, who scored 120 goals for FC Barcelona in the Champions League, is currently the only player to break Ronaldo’s goal-scoring record.
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CR7 became the 1st player to 100 UCL goals in 2017
Ronaldo is expected to make his UEFA Europa League debut as Manchester United failed to qualify for the Champions League. Nicknamed CR7, Ronaldo is the all-time leading goal-scorer in the Champions League. Ronaldo has netted 141 goals in his illustrious Champions League career. PSG icon Messi has fired 125 goals for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain in the same competition. Messi can bridge the 15-goal gap on Ronaldo in the 2022-2023 season.
Messi’s PSG to host Juventus
Resuming their quest for the elusive Champions League trophy in the 2022-2023 season, PSG will meet Juventus in their tournament opener at home. PSG and Serie A giants Juventus are placed in Group H of the Champions League. The Ligue 1 and Serie A giants are joined by Benfica and Maccabi Haifa for the group stage of the Champions League which is set to get underway on Tuesday. PSG will meet Juventus on matchday 1 of the Champions League season 2022-2023 at the Le Parc des Princes on Wednesday.