Messi and Ronaldo will miss the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 16 years.
With the elimination of Juventus from Ronaldo on Tuesday then that of FC Barcelona on Wednesday, it is a page in football history that has just been turned.
Indeed, this is the first time since the 2004-2005 season that the two players will not be present for the quarter-finals of the Champions League!
And it should be noted that the 2004-2005 season corresponds to Messi’s first with Barça. Then replacing in a workforce with many stars (Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto’o), Messi had only participated in one European match, against Chakhtior Donetsk, during the group stage.
He had therefore not taken part in the elimination of Barça in the round of 16 against Chelsea. For his part, Cristiano Ronaldo played for Manchester United and participated in his second Champions League campaign. The Portuguese had played every game for the Red Devils but was helpless against AC Milan who won both sets 1-0.
At the time, no one could imagine that it would take sixteen years to see this scenario repeat itself!
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