Messi prepares to start PSG project as Cristiano Ronaldo joins biggest Champions League rivals  

Two clubs that demand the Champions League. 

Two clubs that spend to win the Champions League. 

Two clubs with the greatest players of our generation charged with delivering the Champions League.

Almost. 

PSG and Manchester City seem to be just hours away from forming a new 2021 rivalry that has the tingling vibe of El Clasico's glory days. PSG has done its part by bringing in Lionel Messi over the summer.  But quite remarkably, Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Manchester City looks like being an actual thing rather than being couched with 'reportedly.' 

City's suits look set for a furious Friday of activity which began with Cristiano Ronaldo arriving at Juve's training base and clearing out his kit locker - and the walk-in space containing the moisturizer collection. Juventus coach, Massimiliano Allegri then confirmed in a pre-match press conference what was pretty much known already - Ronaldo wants out. 

"Speaking with Ronaldo, yesterday Cristiano told me he has no intention of continuing with Juventus," said the Juventus boss. "This is why he will not be called up tomorrow, he didn’t train yesterday and now we can talk about Empoli," said Allegri very optimistically. 

While the transfer fee of around $35 million with Juve is not expected to be a sticking point, the player's salary could be with a reported weekly salary of $700,000 a week required for CR7. 

Messi vs. Ronaldo is set to play out with week-to-week comparisons with their respective new club performances, as well as upcoming Champions League clashes between PSG and City after both clubs were drawn in the same group. 

"They are one of the best teams in Europe and have been fighting to win the Champions League for the last ten years," said Mauricio Pochettino on City, but the PSG coach could easily have been talking about his own upgraded super club. Let the games begin. 

Messi gears up for PSG debut as Shaquiri starts Lyon promise 

While Cristiano Ronaldo counts his super cars and pecs on Friday to pass the time while waiting for his people to agree a deal with City's people, Lionel Messi went through another training session with PSG ahead of an expected debut against Reims on Sunday. 

As it stands, that debut should be alongside Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, despite ongoing attempts by Real Madrid to sign the French forward with just days to go in the transfer window and PSG's Sporting Director, Leonardo, saying that the first offer was far from what PSG would consider as reasonable. Reims vs. PSG is live on beIN SPORTS on Sunday from 2PM ET / 11AM PT. 

Meanwhile, Lyon could be set to give their own debut to former Liverpool playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri who arrived at the club this week, talking a big game of bringing the glory days back to Lyon, a team that won the Ligue 1 title seven times in a row between 2002 and 2008. 

Nantes vs. Lyon is live on beIN SPORTS from 2:50PM ET / 11:50AM PT. 

Europa League draw produces epic Group of Doom 

Staying with Lyon for the moment and the draw for the Europa League group stages has been made with the French side being placed alongside Rangers, Sparta Prague and Brondby.

And glancing through the different groupings, the "Security! Security!" foursome definitely stands out with Marseille, Galatasaray, Lazio and Lokomotiv Moscow being drawn together. 

Here be dragons.