Bayern Munich beat Barcelona in Lisbon, but not just Barcelona ended a cycle. One of them, Leo Messi, and his archenemy Cristino Ronaldo seem to have put an end to their dictatorship in the Champions League.
It’s been fifteen years since Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, at least one of the two, weren’t in the Champions League semi-finals. Far from being just an anecdote, the elimination of the Argentine seems to indicate the end of the dictatorship of the two great players that La Liga saw and enjoyed.
The Spanish fans continue to enjoy one of them, but nothing is the same anymore. Leo isn’t so far away from his best version, but he is from the regularity of his big nights. For his part, Ronaldo has won titles and scored goals at Juventus, but Immobile has cast a shadow over him in Italy and Europe, and it seems to be cold outside Madrid for the Portuguese. And vice versa.
Since the year 2005, at least one or the other had been amongst the four best teams in Europe. It was then when Milan, PSV, Chelsea, and Liverpool left no room for the still too young Leo and CR7.
Since that season, Barcelona or Manchester United, first, and Real Madrid, after, were always in the semis of the Champions League. Juventus aren’t in this data as they lost in the quarter-finals last season and the last 16 this season.I.e. they didn’t manage to take their star player to this stage in any of these two seasons.
Messi has four Champions League titles in his trophy cabinet, all with the only club that has had the honour of having the Argentine forward. For his part, Ronaldo lifted a title with United and four with Real Madrid and leads this particular race with five Champions Leagues.
But this season it ended. Juventus said goodbye against a Lyon side that surprised many and Barca fell in an embarrassing way against Bayern. End of the dictatorship of the two stars of the last 15 years?
All of the Champions League semifinalists since 2005:
2006: Barcelona, Arsenal, Villarreal and Milan.
2007: Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Milan.
2008: Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
2009: Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.
2010: Barcleona, Inter, Bayern and Olympique de Lyon.
2011: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Schalke 04.
2012: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern and Chelsea.
2013: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.
2014: Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid, Bayern y Chelsea.
2015: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern and Juventus.
2016: Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid, Bayern and Manchester City.
2017: Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid, Monaco and Juventus.
2018: Roma, Real Madrid, Bayern and Liverpool.
2019: Barcelona, Ajax, Tottenham and Liverpool.
2020: PSG, RB Leipzig, Bayern and ManchesterCity/Olympique de Lyon.
