Lionel Messi could join Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022 to become the only players in football history to achieve a remarkable feat
PSG ace Lionel Messi is on the verge of yet another record in the upcoming year of 2022. It will see him join his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo as the only two players to achieve the feat.
The Argentine has 36 assists in the UEFA Champions League, just four short of hitting the 40 mark. It is something which only Ronaldo has accomplished in the competition's history.
The Portuguese, also the all-time top-scorer in the Champions League, leads the assist column with 4. He is the only player with 40 or more assists in the competition.
It's a remarkable feat considering so many talented creators have graced Europe's premier club competition. But Ronaldo is soon set to lose the exclusivity, with Messi breathing right below his neck.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both scored against a record 38 different TEAMS in the Champions League.
Excluding those two, only 15 players have scored more than 38 #UCL goals in total. 🤯 https://t.co/Lb4eTlT7ZH
PSG will take on fellow tournament favorites Real Madrid in the last-16. It is a team Messi knows very well, having tormented them for years during the El Clasico with Barcelona.
He'll be hoping to bag a few more over what promises to be an exciting 180 minutes.
Even if he is unable to record four assists in the tie against Madrid, he will get plenty of more chances in 2022 itself to reach the 40-mark.
Also in contention to surpass the landmark tally is his teammate and compatriot Angel Di Maria, who has 35 assists in the Champions League.
8⃣0⃣0⃣ goles entre su país y sus clubes 😎
1⃣4⃣0⃣ goles en la Champions League 🔝
🇵🇹 ¡Cristiano Ronaldo de récord!
#UCL https://t.co/l4P0Izijo9
Since joining PSG in 2015, he's laid 21 assists, while bagging 13 with Real Madrid and one at Benfica.
PSG play the first leg of their Champions League clash with Real Madrid at home on 15 February 2022. The return leg is scheduled for 9 March 2022 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Lionel Messi is closing in on Cristiano Ronaldo's record
Cristiano Ronaldo's assist count has steadily declined over the years. The left-footed forward has not managed more than three assists in a single Champions League season in the last three editions.
Moreover, he hasn't managed a single assist in the 2021/22 campaign yet, despite netting an impressive six times in five games.
However, he will have more opportunities in 2022, and it will be interesting to see how quickly Lionel Messi can close in on Ronaldo's record.
Also read about who is in Lionel Messi's family, his siblings, parents, children and wife.