LaLiga glory for Ronaldo, Pichichi for Messi – how the great rivals compared in 2016-17

ajike May 22, 2017

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s storied rivalry provided another chapter as Real Madrid and Barcelona battled again for LaLiga supremacy in 2016-17.

For the first time since 2012, it was Ronaldo’s Madrid that lifted the league title as the Portuguese scored in a 2-0 win at Malaga to leave Zinedine Zidane with a LaLiga winners’ medal after his first full season as head coach, while Los Blancos also have a Champions League final on the horizon.

But it was Messi that came out on top individually as he took home the coveted “Pichichi” award for finishing as the league’s top scorer – the fourth time he has done so compared to Ronaldo’s three, although the Argentina star made five more league appearances.

Using Opta stats, we take a look at how Messi and Ronaldo compared in terms of goals this season.

33 – Real Madrid have won their 33th La Liga title and the first one since 2011/12 with Jose Mourinho as manager. Prize. pic.twitter.com/VTOS7Wilf9

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 21, 2017

Goals scored

Messi – 37
Ronaldo – 25

Goals scored in 2016

Messi – 12
Ronaldo – 10

Goals scored in 2017

Messi – 25
Ronaldo – 15

Inside/outside the box

Messi – 28 / 9
Ronaldo – 22 / 5

Penalties

Messi – 6
Ronaldo – 6

Free-kicks

Messi – 2
Ronaldo – 1

Braces:

Messi – 13
Ronaldo – 4

Hat-tricks

Messi – 0
Ronaldo – 2

2- Ronaldo was the only player to score more than one hat-trick & no player scored more braces than Messi in La Liga 16/17 (13). Duel pic.twitter.com/s2QENgdHDl

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 22, 2017