Barcelona could have had Lionel Messi AND Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009 if Man Utd icon Sir Alex Ferguson had got his wish
SIR ALEX FERGUSON told Cristiano Ronaldo to join Lionel Messi at Barcelona in 2009 in what would have been a barely-believable transfer.
For years, fans have dreamed of seeing the Ballon d'Or rivals line up together after two decades of rivalry.
United had held off Real's advances in the summer of 2008 but the Scot agreed to let Ronaldo go a year later - but wanted an influence over his destination.
Before the eventual transfer went through, Ferguson said: "They think they can ride roughshod over everyone but they won't do it with us. Real Madrid have no moral issues at all.
"In terms of great clubs, Barcelona have far better morality than Real Madrid will ever have."
Fergie reportedly tried to persuade Ronaldo to head to the Nou Camp after he realised staying he would be leaving Manchester one way or the other.
But it could have become reality had now-37-year-old Ronaldo listened to Fergie's sage advice when leaving Manchester United over a decade ago.
That is according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, writing in that the Red Devils boss was desperate not to see his prodigy pull on the famous Los Blancos jersey having accepted he would leave in 2009.
For many months, speculation was rife that Real wanted him and he wanted Real.
Ferguson was no fan of Madrid's way of doing business however and famously remarked: "Do you think I would get into a contract with that mob? Jesus Christ, no chance. I wouldn’t sell them a virus."
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Alas the superstar signed on with Madrid for a world record fee and the rest is history.
Barcelona had the last laugh though, winning the following two LaLiga titles and a Champions League before Ronaldo got his hands on either trophy.
Their squad that year already featured plenty of attacking talent without the Portuguese ace, including Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry.
In fact, Arsenal legend Henry could barely get in the side that year due to the emergence of homegrown starlet Pedro.
Ronaldo is now back at United for a second spell, having spent three years at Juventus.
Meanwhile, the unthinkable happened last summer when Messi left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
Messi had been tipped with a move to Manchester City, allowing the old rivals to go toe-to-toe in yet another massive derby, before he headed to the French capital.