As Lionel Messi reached a first Champions League semi-final since 2015, his great rival, Cristiano Ronaldo , failed to reach the last four since 2010.
Barcelona sauntered past Manchester United with a 4-0 aggregate win, Messi turning on the style with two goals in a 3-0 second leg win at Camp Nou.
But Ronaldo, signed by Juventus last summer having won three successive European Cup crowns with Real Madrid to lead the Bianconeri’s Euro obsession, faltered.
Leading 1-0 on the night, Juve contrived to crash to a 3-2 defeat to Ajax, the Dutch side running out deserved winners in Turin.
After leading his side to victory, Messi was informed that Ronaldo and Juventus had crashed out and was asked about the Italian side’s exit.
“That tells you everything [about the competition]” said Messi. “Any team is complicated, be it Liverpool or Porto [who Barcelona will face in the last four].
“There are those who deserve, the best, and everything is going to be complicated.”
Messi’s double against United took the 31-year-old to 45 goals in all competitions this term.