Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo: Who is the greatest this week?

Messi: It’s probably time Barcelona took Messi off penalties. No, really. With another miss (or rather, save) against Athletic he has now passed up 22 percent of career spot kicks and drew a blank in Barca’s Liga opener.

Ronaldo: No goals for Ronaldo either, although his blushes were spared when the flag was raised to excuse a fluffed tap-in at the back post from a Danilo pass across the face of goal. The Portuguese was much relieved, mostly because he couldn’t blame Bale for the miss.

Advantage: No-one (this was the first time since October 26, 2013 that both players failed to score on the same day).

Messi: Athletic Bilbao seem to have Messi’s number. Three games he has played against them this season, and in every instance he has been snuffed out. The Argentinean had a tougher time avoiding the attentions of Mikel Balenziaga than he has the Spanish tax authorities.

Ronaldo: Someone at Real Madrid should have a word with Ronaldo about his free-kicks. Or three words, actually: stop taking them. He must have smashed at least four set pieces straight into the wall, and when Bale was finally afforded one he fired just over the bar. Ronaldo didn’t score a single free-kick until April last season, and the signs aren’t good for this campaign either.

Advantage: No-one.

Messi: Having conceded nine goals from their last three games (five to Athletic) Barcelona’s clean sheet at San Mames must have been the most pleasing aspect of their display for Luis Enrique. With Neymar missing the frontline wasn’t quite in sync, but they probably just about deserved the win.

Ronaldo: Real Madrid - a team with around £300 million of attacking talent - were held to a goalless draw in their Liga opener against a promoted side. Rafa Benitez is well and truly back. There was little sparkle about the Galacticos, as Sporting made this a battle of attrition. Ronaldo switched between out left and through the middle, but without Benzema Real’s attack didn’t work.

Advantage: Messi

Messi: “Messi has now missed one in five penalty attempts,” exclaimed a headline in AS, pointing out that the Argentinean’s great nemesis Ronaldo has a miss percentage of just 10.9 percent. On such margins Ballon d’Ors are won and lost.

Ronaldo: A certain picture of Ronaldo made the front pages of all the Madrid newspapers following the draw against Sporting Gijon. Depicting the Portuguese winger slumped to his knees, screaming ‘NOOOOOOO!’ into the night sky - like Luke Skywalker discovering that Darth Vader is his Dad - it summed up Real Madrid’s frustrations and fears over Benitez (who has now led his side to five goalless games from nine).

Advantage: Ronaldo (who doesn’t like a melodramatic picture?)

Messi: How does Messi expect us to gauge anything about him when he hardly posts on Instagram, doesn’t have Twitter and keeps his mouth shut in the press? It’s almost as if he doesn’t want the world prying into his private life, analysing his every thought. How selfish.

Ronaldo: Taking a break from promoting his line of underwear - or new for this season, autumn/winter shirt collection - Ronaldo posted a quote on his Instagram that read: “Your love makes me strong, your hate makes me unstoppable.” And Benitez makes me a dud?

Advantage: Ronaldo

Lionel Messi 1-2 Cristiano Ronaldo

So for the next seven days Ronaldo is the greatest footballer on earth – although with both players failing to score or even play well, it’s something of a hollow victory. Aren’t you glad we did this?