Board Thread:Versus Debates/@comment-30355627-20170226234835/@comment-30355627-20170307071807

UntappedRage wrote: I don't think it was ever explicitly stated by anyone, that Naruto was outmatched. For all we know they were on the same level of power. It just so happened that he needed Sasuke as well to seal him.

You also need to consider the fact that Madara had done little to no substantial damage to either of the duo, while they actually beat him around a few times. Yeah madara himself said that he underestimated them and that once he got the second rinnegan he was confident that he could kill both of them.