Never saw Messi as a rival: Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo said he has always got on well with Lionel Messi and never saw him as a rival after scoring twice in Juventus' 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Ronaldo, 35, scored two penalties as the Italian champions ended Barca's 38-game unbeaten run at home in Europe to reach the last 16 as group winners. Barca progress as runners-up.

It was the first meeting between Ronaldo and Messi in more than two years, since the Portuguese forward left Real Madrid for Juventus in 2018. "I have always had a cordial relationship with Messi," Ronaldo told Movistar after the game. "As I have said before, for 12, 13, 14 years [I have been] sharing prizes with him.

"I never saw him as a rival. He always tried the best for his team, and I tried the best for mine. I always got on well with him. I am sure he will say the same if you ask him. "But we know in football, people always look for a rivalry to create more excitement." Messi, 33, and Ronaldo, who between them have won the Ballon d'Or in 11 of the past 12 years, came to define the Clasico rivalry between Barca and Real Madrid over the past decade.

However, both find themselves in the latter stages of their careers now, and their respective sides have made below-par starts to their league campaigns domestically. However, Ronaldo said he doesn't think Messi -- who had all seven of Barca's shots on target on Tuesday -- is in decline.

"Messi is the same as ever [on the pitch]," he said. "Barcelona are in a difficult moment, but they are still Barca. I am sure they will come out of it. All teams have bad runs, but Barcelona are a very good team."

Koeman's spat with Juve bench

Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman was involved in a bizarre touchline spat as his side suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Juventus.

Koeman endured a frustrating night seeing his side outplayed by the Italian champions at the Nou Camp but he also found their stars on the bench just as much as a nuisance.

His side were already 2-0 down following a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty and a Weston McKennie effort in the first half.

The Portuguese veteran proved just as deadly from the spot again in the 52nd minute after a Clement Lenglet handball. The Barcelona defender's offence inside the box was spotted by VAR calls, and already on a booking led to appeals from Juve stars on the bench for the French defender to be sent off.

According to Football Italia, Koeman responded to the claims by shouting at opponents in the opposite dugout to 'shut up.' However it did little to silence the Juventus substitutes who soon turned their attention to the Barca boss. Paulo Dybala was among those laughing in response to Koeman's outburst, which only appeared to annoy him further on a terrible night for the Spanish side.

Paid the price for sloppy start, says Solskjaer

Manchester United have only themselves to blame for their exit following a 3-2 loss to RB Leipzig on Tuesday, launching their comeback far too late, coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.

United only needed a point from their final Group H game to advance to the knockout stage but left themselves with a mountain to climb after falling three goals behind against Leipzig. "We started too late. Great spirit and comeback again," Solskjaer said. "We were unlucky towards the end and you almost thought it was in at the last minute there," Solskjaer said of a stoppage-time save by Gulacsi.

"Of course you can't say we were good enough, we weren't. Today we were close but we knew we had to defend crosses and balls into the box and we just couldn't clear them."