By Tim Stannard

Pep Guardiola may hold the key to ultimate Messi vs. Ronaldo question

One thing is for certain. Everything in the soccer world is going to be a heck of a lot quieter after Tuesday when the European soccer transfer window closes. 

We've already had to assimilate Lionel Messi moving to PSG. The Argentinean ace currently looks on track to make his PSG debut against Reims on Sunday, a game that is live on beIN SPORTS from 2PM ET / 11AM PT.

The Kylian Mbappe situation has definitely escalated quickly with a rejected bid from Real Madrid for the PSG forward but an admission from the club's Sporting Director, Leonardo, that "Kylian Mbappe wants to leave, that seems clear." 

However, there is a big difference between a want-away footballer and a deal getting done to make it happen apparently - "our aim, is to extend his contract and keep him. But if a player wants to leave, that is on our terms."

So let's park that on the back-burner for a second and instead risk the ire of Cristiano Ronaldo who recently huffed that any transfer talk in regards to his future is disrespectful. 

The lowdown of the current situation with CR7 is that the player apparently wants out of Juventus in the next few days. Manchester City were aiming to buy Harry Kane - that's not happening now. So, City have instead apparently turned to Cristiano Ronaldo as an alternative with the player's agent Jorge Mendes reportedly heading to Turin to see the lay of the land. That's a lot of apparently's and reportedly's though. 

It would certainly be a bold move for both parties. For Manchester City, it is a flashy 'flagship' signing that the club doesn't tend to go for and for Ronaldo, it would mean joining the rivals of the team he professes to love greatly - Manchester United. 

Pep Guardiola sets departure date from City

Not quite done with this whole topic yet, as a Ronaldo move to City would also be a world of media hassle for Pep Guardiola who would have to field endless questions on the differences between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, seeing as he would have coached both. 

However, those probes would only last a couple of years as Guardiola's days at Manchester City are numbered to June 2023. And there's not even a 'reportedly' required here. The Spaniard says so himself. "After seven years on this team, I think I’m going to have a stop. I’m going to have to take a break, see what we’ve done," says the former Barca boss who aims to then coach an international team in South America and then Europe in a very specific career plan.

Odd-looking Champions League draw to come

The next challenge for Guardiola and all the other top-level coaches in Europe will be to assimilate the 2021-22 group stages Champions League draw which takes place today at around 12PM ET. 

Some unusual league and cup winners last season leads to an odd draw with Villarreal, Lille, and Sporting CP in the highest-ranked Pot 1, and a host of big fishes like PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona. Juventus and Manchester United in Pot 2. 

Sports Burst's Group of Doom choice is Manchester City, PSG, RB Leipzig and AC Milan. The Group of 'Meh' puts together Sporting CP, Sevilla, Salzburg, and Sheriff Tiraspol.