“People make the comparison with Ronaldo, there is no comparison.”
So says Eamon Dunphy of Lionel Messi back in 2015. There is one comparison that can easily be made between the two greatest footballers of their generation – they are both repeatedly written off by the RTÉ panel.
Thanks for that, Eamon.
In that same diatribe Cristiano Ronaldo was compared unfavourably to Messi, who was all things to all men in the eyes of the RTÉ panel. An opinion that was rightly held up until 2015.
However, things have turned in the last 18 months.
As you can see below, Messi was poor last season as Barcelona won back-to-back La Liga titles, the Argentine scoring just 26 goals and assisting another 16 as the Catalan club pipped great rivals Real Madrid to the title by a single point.
Dunphy watched a lot of Spanish football, but it is the Champions League RTÉ have rights to, so Barca’s 3-2 quarter-final loss to Atletico Madrid could only be explained by the inexorable decline of their influential talisman.
The RTÉ football panel discuss the recent poor form of Barcelona star Leo Messihttps://t.co/jjYwGfxlbU
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 13, 2016
We’re surprised he had the audacity to return this season, to be honest, but return he did.
Just the 10 goals in six Champions League matches before Tuesday’s catastrophic 4-0 defeat to Paris St Germain, plus 17 league goals in 17 league starts. In an out of sorts Barca team, he is really stinking it up.
Thomas Muller, one of the most in-form strikers of the past five years, has been benched by Bayern after a terrible run of form. Sergio Aguero was struggling to break into Manchester City team until Gabriel Jesus’ injury and even that Portuguese cod has endured patches of indifferent form in a spectacular career.
Even the best have dips, but in a Messi ‘dip’ he is almost averaging a goal-per-game. This did not stop the RTÉ panel of Didi Hamann, Richie Sadlier and Dunphy discussing the waining of one of the greatest of all time on Wednesday night.
Needless to say Dunphy was the most definite in his views and, needless to say, the viewers did notice.
RTE doin a piece on last nights PSG/Barca game about Messi titled 'Messi in decline?'
Poor chap cant have one bad day at the office🙈🙈🙈🙈— Mark Butler (@butstovski) February 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/ryan_sargesson/status/831994328562139136
Messi has 32 goals in 33 appearances and 10 assists so far this season. RTE convinced he's in decline 🤔🤔 #GOAT
— Paul Cunningham (@paulieCboy) February 15, 2017
Messi is finished again apparently. If Eamon Dunphy keeps saying it he will get it right eventually. But another stupid comment though.
— MF_Thatherton (@MF_Thatherton) February 15, 2017
I see Dunphy has declared Messi in decline again. It's been a few months.
— Daithí Ó Donnghaile (@YeSecondPost) February 15, 2017
Dunphy is now having a go at Messi @RTEsoccer is this for real ??
— Bernard Byrne (@splitboybenny) February 15, 2017
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