Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo admits Cristiano Ronaldo was motivated to face Lionel Messi

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Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo during the Barcelona game

Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo has admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo was keen to face "eternal rival" Lionel Messi in the UEFA Champions League.

Juventus beat Barcelona 3-0 in the final group stage game of the competition on Tuesday, with two penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo and a goal from Weston McKennie sealing the deal for Juventus.

Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo takes center-stage against Lionel Messi's Barcelona

Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals against Lionel Messi's Barcelona

Barcelona had beaten Juventus 2-0 in the reverse fixture, courtesy of a goal from winger Ousmane Dembele and a late penalty from Lionel Messi. However, Cristiano Ronaldo had not featured in that match.

Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo, in an interview to Sky Sport Italia, confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo had been eager to face Lionel Messi. He said:

"Ronaldo was very motivated to put in a good performance here against his eternal rival, so when you're that motivated, it becomes simple."

Cristiano: “I never saw Messi as a rival. He tries to do the best for his team, like me. We have always had a very good relationship. Football sought a rivalry between us."#UCL pic.twitter.com/G6J6J9HplB

— Cristiano Ronaldo 7⃣ (@CRonaldo7egend) December 8, 2020

However, Pirlo warned his Juventus side not to forget the league competition as well.

"There are many games in a season and it's easier to get fired up for fixtures like this, but we mustn't lose sight of the real target, which is Serie A, so we have to be this concentrated and committed there too."

Cristiano Ronaldo's two goals ensured that Juventus leapfrog Barcelona to the top spot in the group. Barcelona's poor performance continues to highlight the long road ahead for manager Ronald Koeman.

1 - #Juventus are the first Italian side ever to score 3+ away goals against Barcelona in UEFA competition. Historic.#BarcaJuve #UCL pic.twitter.com/MXjlPyGBUc

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) December 8, 2020

The Lionel Messi saga looms as well. The Argentine superstar was close to leaving the club in the summer, but a move failed to materialize. With Lionel Messi's contract expiring in the summer, the 33-year-old has shown no signs of wanting to sign a new deal.

Juventus, on the other hand, will be happy with their performance. They had a slow start to the season under new manager Andrea Pirlo but are now slowly finding their feet.

Much of it has been down to Cristiano Ronaldo, who continues to be the club's most important player. His absence in October after testing positive for the coronavirus saw Juventus' form plummet, and his return has coincided with a clear upturn in the results.

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