Not only has new Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo called Lionel Messi "the best" on many occasions, but he once snubbed Cristiano Ronaldo for his UEFA Champions League dream team.
Click through the gallery above to see who Pirlo picked ahead of Ronaldo!
The Italy legend will not have an easy job in Turin following his surprise appointment just hours after the sacking of Maurizio Sarri on the weekend.
Furthermore, Pirlo might have unknowingly caused tension with Ronaldo based on remarks he has made throughout his career about FC Barcelona's Messi, whom he has often referred to as the best player in the world.
GiveMeSport has also recalled the time Pirlo named his Champions League dream team in 2015, when he seemingly had no place for then-Real Madrid talisman Ronaldo, but named Messi in it.
The new Bianconeri manager selected the six-time Ballon d'Or winner in a three-man attack that was completed by his former AC Milan colleagues Kaka and Filippo Inzaghi.
To add to that, it was not long ago that Pirlo named Messi as the best player he had ever played against, despite having gone up against Ronaldo on a number of occasions in his career.
How Ronaldo Reacted To Shock Juve UCL Elimination
Since the Italian made that selection five years ago, Ronaldo has achieved arguably the unthinkable when he helped inspire Los Blancos to three UEFA Champions League titles in a row between 2016 and 2018, cementing his place as one of the greatest players in the history of the tournament.
Click through the gallery below to see other managers who coached the clubs they played for!
