Champions League

BRUNO FERNANDES has come to Cristiano Ronaldo’s defence following Juventus’ shock Champions League exit last night.
The Italians were stunned by 10-men Porto in Turin as the visitors progressed to the quarters on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate draw.

Bruno Fernandes has come to Cristiano Ronaldo’s defence as Juventus’ Champions League exitCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Fernandes insists Ronaldo is not solely to blame for the last-16 defeat to PortoCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The defining moment came in extra time when Sergio Oliveira’s free-kick flew under Ronaldo’s outstretched leg and past Wojciech Szczesny’s outstretched hands.
Ronaldo has since come under fierce criticism for failing to stand his ground in an attempt to block the long-range strike – instead jumping and turning his back.
And with Juventus also in danger of losing their nine-season Serie A title streak to Inter Milan, there are even question marks over Ronaldo’s future at the club this summer.
However, Manchester United star Fernandes insists his Portugal team-mate remains one of world football’s best players.

And Juve’s defeat cannot be blamed on Ronaldo when there were ten other players on the field wearing the famous black-and-white strip.
Fernandes told Gazzetta: “Ronaldo? Cristiano is one of the greats in the history of football.
“His mentality inspires those who practice this sport. He has won a lot, but no one can win alone.
“I understand that his presence in Juve had created enormous expectations for the Champions League.

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“But when a team loses, they lose as an entire squad, not a single player.
“I’m not surprised (by the result). Porto has a winning mentality, plays aggressive football and I expected them to create problems for Juventus.”
Meanwhile, Juve boss Andrea Pirlo bemoaned the Porto free-kick that condemned his side to another early elimination.
He said: “We choose the players to go in the wall. It had never happened before that they’d turn around. Maybe they felt it was so far out that they didn’t sense the danger.

“It was a mistake, it usually doesn’t happen, the players didn’t feel it was a dangerous situation and conceded a goal.
“When you make four big errors over two legs in the Champions League Round of 16, you can get eliminated.
“We didn’t get it wrong when Porto were down to 10, as all we could do was try to spread them out by moving the ball side to side and packing the penalty area with bodies. That is how the goals arrived.
“It will take a few days to cancel this game from our minds, but then we must face every game with the right attitude, realise we’re still only in March and have time to climb the Serie A table.”
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CRISTIANO RONALDO and Lionel Messi will BOTH be forced to watch the Champions League quarter-finals on the telly for the first time since 2005.
Ronaldo’s Juventus crashed out on away goals to Porto before Messi failed to inspire Barcelona to another memorable comeback against Paris Saint-Germain.

As Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe continue to send shockwaves around Europe with their goalscoring performances, there is certainly a feeling that the guard is starting to change.
But how do Messi and Ronaldo compare in the Champions League?
Between them, they have lifted the trophy nine times in 15 years – Messi four, Ronaldo five.
In each of the other years, the eventual champions have knocked out one of them on their way to glory, with Bayern Munich the most-recent example in emphatic fashion last season.

Ronaldo made his Sporting Lisbon debut earlier than his long-term rival but his side did not qualify for the tournament in 2002-03, meaning he made his bow in 2003-04 with Manchester United.
But Sir Alex Ferguson’s side lost to a Porto team managed by a certain Jose Mourinho who went on to the win it.
The 2004-05 season was Messi’s first in the Barcelona senior side and, before this week, was the last time neither player reached the last eight.
It was a time when YouTube and Google Maps launched, Charles and Camilla married, Shayne Ward won The X Factor and Brangelina became a thing.

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All four of Messi’s European triumphs have come at Barcelona including in 2009 against Ronaldo’s Manchester UnitedCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

Ronaldo won his fifth Champions League at Real Madrid in 2018 before joining JuventusCredit: AP:Associated Press

Barca were knocked out by Chelsea while AC Milan got the better of United before losing to Liverpool in the final.
Messi got his hands on the famous cup in 2006, although he didn’t play in the final against Arsenal, before Ronaldo did so two years later after United beat Barca in the semis thanks to Paul Scholes’ wondergoal.
They met in the 2009 final when Barca beat the Red Devils in Rome and then two years later as Messi inspired a semi-final win over Ronaldo’s Real Madrid before seeing off United again.
That was the last time they played each other in the competition until the group stages this season – Ronaldo missed the tie in Turin due to coronavirus but inspired Juventus to the top of Group G with two goals at the Nou Camp in their 36th head-to-head clash.
Since then, though, Barcelona have won the Champions League just once – in 2015 – while Ronaldo and Los Blancos have picked up four in that time, including a hat-trick between 2016 and 2018.
Messi’s Catalan giants suffered dramatic exits to Roma, Liverpool and Bayern before this season’s defeat to PSG.
For Ronaldo, he left Real in 2018 for a new challenge at Juventus with the Old Lady desperately hoping he can inspire them to European glory for the first time since 1996.
But so far, they are yet to get beyond the quarter-finals with shock defeats to Ajax, Lyon and now Porto.

The pair met at the Nou Camp this season with the Portuguese star scoring twice in a 3-0 Juventus winCredit: AFP or licensors

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PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN star Marquinhos has revealed how Mauricio Pochettino’s ‘hot’ half time team talk helped the French side keep their nerve against Barcelona.
PSG booked a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions’ League with a 5-2 aggregate victory.

Marquinhos has revealed how Maurico Pochettino helped PSG keep their nerve against BarcelonaCredit: AFP

PSG dumped Barcelona out of the Champions League with a 5-2 aggregate win to advance to the last-eightCredit: EPA

However, Lionel Messi proved he might just be human after all by fluffing his lines on the stroke of half-time when he missed a crucial penalty.
A goal then would have put Barcelona 2-1 up at the break and really tested the bottle of Poch’s Parisians, four years after the most famous comeback in the competition’s history.
On that famous night Barca smashed PSG 6-1 at the Nou Camp to overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit, digging out three goals in a never-to-be-forgotten final seven minutes.
Last night’s task was even more ridiculous as they attempted to overcome a 4-1 first-leg loss – on enemy territory this time.

However, Pochettino’s inspired rallying cry to his troops at the interval helped to ease any fears, according to Brazilian defender Marquinhos.
The 26-year-old told RMC Sport: “We’re not going to give away all the secrets.
“It was hot, it reflected the difficult moments we had, we lacked a lot in the defensive phase, they took advantage with their full-backs.
“He asked for more engagement, with little videos. This is what made the difference.”

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Pochettino, who led Tottenham to the Champions League final two years ago, admitted afterwards he was pleased with how his side responded to his words.
The Argentine, 49, said: “We suffered a lot in the first half, we struggled with the first pass.
“Psychologically it was a test because we talked a lot about the past. In the second half we showed a different face.
“What is clear is that we thought too much in the first half. We were thinking too much about qualifying, that’s what I told the players.
“I asked them to play. Of course I was not happy, I told the players that, but sometimes it happens and we were more combative in the second half.
“The important thing is that we are through. We must put negative thoughts away from us.”
Poch and his side are now eagerly awaiting the draw for both the quarters and the semi-finals on March 19.
The last eight ties are scheduled to be held on April 6/7 (first legs) and April 13/14 (second legs).
PSG return to action in Ligue 1 on Sunday when they host Nantes as they aim to look to close the two-point gap on leaders Lille.
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FOR the first time in 16 years, there will be no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Ronaldo’s Juventus were dumped out on away goals by Porto on Tuesday night.

Neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi will feature in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2005Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Messi’s Barcelona were dumped out by PSG 24 hours after Porto advanced past Juventus on away goalsCredit: Reuters

And his long-term rival Messi followed just 24 hours later as Barcelona could not mastermind another spectacular comeback against Paris Saint-Germain.
It could have been very different had his missed penalty been retaken on the stroke of half-time with replays showing Marco Verratti WAS encroaching.
But as Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe light up European football, Messi and Ronaldo are left to lick their wounds.
One or both players have been involved in the last eight of the competition in each of the previous 15 seasons – going on to win it nine times between them in that period.

But their premature exits could be good news for Liverpool fans – it was in that 2004-05 campaign they famously lifted old Big Ears in Istanbul in unforgettable fashion.
At the time, Ronaldo was making a name for himself at Manchester United and a 17-year-old Messi scored his first senior Barca goal in the May of the campaign.
United crashed out to eventual finalists AC Milan while Barca squandered a first-leg lead to get stunned by Chelsea.
So, what was going in the world in 2005?

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Ronaldo was making his name as a youngster with Manchester United but lost the 2005 FA Cup final to ArsenalCredit: AP:Associated Press

Messi scored the very first senior goal of his Barcelona career in the May – and he’s got a few more sinceCredit: AP:Associated Press

YOUTUBE LAUNCHED
That’s right, the world’s biggest online video platform launched in February 2005, a week before the first legs of the last-16 ties.
Set up by three PayPal employees originally to get attractive women to share videos, they quickly changed tact to allow all kinds of clips.
It was revealed in May 2019 500 hours of content are uploaded to YouTube each minute with one billion hours being watched every single day.

YouTube launched in February 2005 and is now watched for more than a billion hours per dayCredit: YouTube
GOOGLE MAPS
YouTube is now owned by Google, who released Google Maps on February 8 of that same year.
It was designed by Danish brother Lars and Jens Eilstrup Rasmussen and now features developments such as ‘my location’ and speed cameras.
How did we ever navigate our way around without it, eh?

People’s journeys became a whole lot easier thanks to the release of Google MapsCredit: Google
ROYAL WEDDING
With Messi and Ronaldo crashing out in 2021, there is plenty of talk about the royals… or ex-royals.
And 2005 was no different as the nation celebrated Charles and Camilla’s wedding in April.
The civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall was described as a ‘fairy tale for grown-ups’.

Charles and Camilla tied the knot in Windsor on April 9Credit: Reuters
DOCTOR WHO
The beloved BBC series Doctor Who returned to our TV screens in the March.
Christopher Eccleston was the ninth doctor and had Billie Piper – Rose Tyler in the show – as his sidekick.

Doctor Who returned to British TV screens with Billie Piper accompanying Christopher EcclestonCredit: BBC
X FACTOR
Shayne Ward secured his status in British folklore by winning the second series of The X Factor and then securing the Christmas No1 with debut single That’s My Goal.
He pipped Andy Abraham and Journey South in the final while Chico burst on to the scene – what a time to be alive.
Also on the musical scene, Carrie Underwood won American Idol, Destiny’s Child announced their split and Guitar Hero came out.

Shayne Ward was crowned X Factor winner and duly claimed the Christmas No1Credit: Handout
YEAR IN FILM
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was 2005’s highest-grossing film as we thought that was the end of the franchise before its return a decade later.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, King Kong, Batman Begins and Madagascar also hit the big screens in a blockbuster year.
But it was The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that came in second in the box office charts.

King Kong was one of the biggest films of the year alongside some other classicsCredit: Universal Studios
BRANGELINA
The year got off to a sad start as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston confirmed their breakup and by March the latter had filed for divorce.
Pitt soon started dating Angelina Jolie and the pair were snapped together throughout the year.
It was not until January 2006 that they confirmed their relationship as Jolie revealed she was pregnant with Pitt’s child, daughter Shiloh Nouvel.

2005 marked the end for Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt with the latter quickly getting with Angelina JolieCredit: EPA
JACKSON NOT GUILTY
Pop superstar Michael Jackson faced a four-month trial into seven charges of child molestation and two of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks.
On June 13, the American was acquitted on all counts and subsequently moved to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.

Michael Jackson was cleared off all his charges against children in a high-profile trialCredit: Reuters
POLITICAL POWERS
Tony Blair won his third General Election on May 5 to remain as British Prime Minister and two months later had to lead the country through the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in London.
George W Bush began his second term as President in the United States, where in August Hurricane Katrina hit and caused widespread devastation – particularly in New Orleans – with 1,836 deaths and more than $125billion in damages.
Angela Merkel assumed office as Chancellor of Germany in the November.

Tony Blair and George W Bush started their final terms as Prime Minister and US President respectivelyCredit: Reuters
SPORTING STARDOM
In sport, Rafael Nadal won his first Grand Slam at Roland Garros – he now has a record-equalling 20 majors, including 13 French Opens and has lost on the Parisian clay just twice in 102 matches.
Lance Armstrong secured a seventh Tour de France title in a row before the drugs cheat had them all stripped away.
England won the Ashes for the first time since 1987 with a dramatic 2-1 series win over Australia – cue mass celebrations, led in style by man-of-the-series Freddie Flintoff.
London won the rights to stage the 2012 Olympics, Ronaldinho was crowned Ballon d’Or winner, Arsenal beat Manchester United on penalties to win the FA Cup and Jose Mourinho led Chelsea to the Premier League in his debut season in England.
The New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 to win Super Bowl XXXIX, Tiger Woods won the Masters and British Open majors and Wales completed the Six Nations Grand Slam.

Rafael Nadal went all the way at his maiden French Open and now has 13 of them, winning 100 of 102 matches at Roland GarrosCredit: Getty

Freddie Flintoff, right, led the celebrations as England finally reclaimed the AshesCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

Jose Mourinho led Chelsea to their first Premier League title in his debut season at Stamford BridgeCredit: AFP – Getty

A roaring Tiger Woods won two of the four golfing majors, including his fourth Masters green jacketCredit: AFP

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