Topics: UEFA Champions League, Barcelona, Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi
It had been a while since either Lionel Messi or Cristiano failed to help their teams reach the last eight in the continental tournament. Is it a sign of things to come?

We were so happy debating about who was the greatest of all time between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi that we did not realize the time to move on was closer than ever.

Today, the dominance of two of the greatest footballers to ever grace the pitch seems to have come to an end, as neither one of them will be around to battle for the UEFA Champions League title for the second year in a row. 

Moreover, this edition of the continental competition has shown severe signs of decline when it comes to their skills, as neither Messi nor CR7 have put up numbers worthy of watching them in the race to become the tournament's top scorer.

With both of their futures in the air, as Messi is still deciding if he will extend his contract with Barcelona and Ronaldo is reportedly considering an exit to another league, the chances of watching them winning the coveted tournament seem slim. 

In case you had any doubts about how relevant their absence in the next round will be, check out this fact.

Will we ever see these footballers leading their teams to a new UEFA Champions League crown? While the odds seem to be slim, all we can do is wait for father time to make his call.