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Cristiano Ronaldo And Lionel Messi Both Eliminated From Champions League At The Round Of 16

Cristiano Ronaldo And Lionel Messi Both Eliminated From Champions League At The Round Of 16

For the first time in 16 years, neither Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will appear in the Champions League quarter finals.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both eliminated from the Champions League at the round of 16.

A below-par Ronaldo drew a blank in both legs against Porto, who knocked Juventus out on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate scoreline.

Image: PA
Image: PA

While in the wall, Ronaldo turned his back on a free-kick to allow Sergio Oliveira to hit the crucial goal through his legs and past Wojciech Szczęsny in extra time at the Allianz Stadium last night and has now suffered consecutive last 16 defeats on away goals in Turin.

Meanwhile, Messi scored a long-range stunner and missed a penalty as Barcelona were beaten 5-2 on aggregate by PSG - that 4-1 Kylian-Mbappe-inspired-defeat at the Nou Camp in the first leg doing the damage.

Image: PA
Image: PA

It means for the first time in 16 years, football's two titans have failed to reach the quarter finals of Europe's premier club competition.


On that occasion, a young Messi saw Barcelona beaten 5-4 by Jose Mourinho's Chelsea on aggregate - with Ronaldo's Manchester United succumbing to a 2-0 aggregate loss to AC Milan courtesy of a goal in either leg from Hernan Crespo.

The pair have completely dominated in the Champions League for the best part of 15 years, scoring goals aplenty and producing match-winning performances - but it know looks as though their glittering era at the top is coming to an end.

Many feel as though Mbappe and Erling Haaland, already tearing it up in the Champions League, are well on their way to playing out the next big footballing rivalry.

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Topics: Football, Lionel Messi, Champions League, Cristiano Ronaldo