"I was always on Messi's side" - Paulo Dybala recalls incident when he told Cristiano Ronaldo that he 'hated him'
AS Roma attacker Paulo Dybala has opened up about a conversation he had with Cristiano Ronaldo during their time together at Juventus. The Argentine jokingly remarked that he hated Ronaldo growing up as he was a Messi fan.
Speaking on DAZN, Dybala said:
"It was three good years with Cristiano, the team was strong and he gave us something extra. The rivalry between him and [Lionel] Messi is deeply felt in Argentina and as a child, of course, I was always on Messi's side.
"One time we were on a plane to go play a game, I was at the back and he was sitting further forward. At one point he came to me to talk about football and other things. We used to discuss our lives in general and so I said to him 'I basically hated you as a kid'. We had some laughs. We've always had a good relationship, a good dialogue."
The duo spent three seasons together in Turin, winning two Serie A titles but were unable to lift the elusive Champions League trophy. After the 2020-21 season, the Portuguese superstar left for a reunion with Manchester United, while Dybala left the Bianconeri a year later to join Roma.
The 29-year-old has enjoyed a strong season with Giallorossi under Jose Mourinho. He has bagged 16 goals and eight assists in 34 appearances for the side, as they push for a top-four spot. Mourinho will also be looking to add some silverware as Roma face Bayer Leverkusen in the semis of the Europa League.
AS Roma display interest in midfielder linked to Manchester United
AS Roma have shown interest in Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans. The Belgian, whose contract with the Foxes is set to expire in the summer, has attracted interest from clubs all across Europe.
According to Calciomercato, the Giallorossi are looking to build a squad to convince Jose Mourinho to stay at the club. The Portuguese manager has been linked with moves elsewhere.
Mourinho has performed admirably in the Italian capital, winning the UEFA Conference League last year and reaching the semis of the Europa League this year. With Leicester looking close to being relegated, the Belgian could be on the move.
Manchester United are known admirers of the player as they look to add good rotation players to the squad. If Roma want to sign Tielemans, they will have to ward off some serious competition from other top clubs.