Menaldu’s War of Falling Stars

Lionel Messi (34, Barcelona) and Cristiano Ronaldo (36, Juventus) were defeated early in the’War of the Stars’. The Champions League quarter-finals without both Messi and Ronaldo, the two largest mountain ranges of European football, have been 16 years since the 2004-05 season. However, even without them, the expectations of soccer fans are high. The rising morning stars Killian Mbafe (23, PSG) and Elling Holland (20, Dortmund) have already set various records and are predicting an all-time great game.

Barcelona ended in a 1-1 draw in the match against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the 2nd leg of the 2020-21 European Football Federation (UEFA) Champions League Round of 16 held in Paris, France on the 11th (Korean time). Barcelona, ​​which was defeated by 1-4 in the first game, needed a victory of more than 3 goals, but it was not enough. In the 37th minute of the first half, Messi scored a make-up goal with a surprise left-footed medium-range gun behind the 0-1. However, he failed to score further. The extra time penalty for the first half was saved by PSG goalkeeper Keyler Navas. On the other hand, Mbafe, who made a hat-trick against Barcelona in the first leg of the round of 16, sank Messi with a penalty kick in the 31st minute without a mistake.

Ronaldo’s Juventus was also eliminated in the round of 16 the previous day. In the second leg of the round of 16 against FC Porto, the combined score of the first and second leg was 4-4, winning 3-2, but the quarter-final ticket was given to Porto according to the principle of multiple points away. Ronaldo is still resentful that Sergio Oliveira’s free kick took place as a kicker in the 10th minute of the second half of the extra time, passively turning back and building a wall, which provided the inspiration for conceding.

Unlike Messi and Ronaldo holding a bitter cup, Mbafe and Holland performed best, leading the team to the quarterfinals. Mbafe scored four goals in two matches against Barcelona alone, making him the player with the most goals in a single season against Barcelona in this event. Also, breaking the record of Messi (22 years and 286 days), At his youngest age, he scored 25 Champions League goals.

However, it seems unlikely that Mbafe’s record will last long. Dortmund’s Holland, now 20, is scoring 20 goals in the Champions League. Holland is the first ever to score multi-goals in four consecutive Champions League games. He is currently number one in the Champions League this season, scoring 10 goals. He also scored 20 goals in 14 games in addition to 10 goals last season, which far exceeded the record of 20 goals in 24 games held by Tottenham’s Harry Kane.

Major local media commented on the elimination of Messi and Ronaldo, and the performance of Mbafe and Holland, saying that the’generational change of European football has begun’. In an article titled “The End of the Age: The Quarter-final Failure in 16 Years by Messi and Ronaldo”, the Spanish daily newspaper Marca said, “It’s time for Baton to reach Holland and Mbafe. European football seems to be ready for a new era with the two at the forefront.” Football Italy also wrote, “It marked the end of an era when Ronaldo and Messi did not advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.”

Choi Dong-soon reporter [email protected]

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