1. Messi’s Barcelona Faces Historic Elimination from Champions League

Messi’s Barcelona Faces Historic Elimination from Champions LeagueMessi’s Barcelona Faces Historic Elimination from Champions League Barcelona, led by their talismanic captain Lionel Messi, are on the brink of a historic elimination from the UEFA Champions League after a demoralizing 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the semi-final first leg. Bayern, in imperious form, dominated the match from start to finish, with young sensation Alphonso Davies shredding Barcelona’s left flank. Thomas Müller opened the scoring with a clinical finish in the 4th minute, setting the tone for a relentless Bayern performance. Messi, who has been carrying the weight of Barcelona’s hopes on his shoulders, cut a frustrated figure throughout the match. His typically incisive runs were met with a wall of Bayern defenders, and his attempts to create chances proved futile. Robert Lewandowski, the Bayern striker who had scored a first-half hat-trick against Barcelona in the 2019-20 Champions League semi-final, added two more goals to his tally in the second half. His clinical finishing and predatory instincts left Barcelona’s defense in shambles. The result leaves Barcelona needing to produce a miraculous comeback in the second leg at the Allianz Arena. However, the odds are stacked heavily against them. Bayern have won their last 13 Champions League matches at home and have not conceded a goal in their last five European outings. Messi, who has won the Champions League four times with Barcelona, faces the prospect of his illustrious career ending without another European triumph. The Argentine superstar has been a symbol of Barcelona’s dominance for over a decade, but time may be running out for him to add to his legacy. If Barcelona fails to overturn the 3-0 deficit, it will be the first time since 2007 that they have been eliminated from the Champions League at the semi-final stage. It would also be a major setback for the club, which has been struggling to maintain its status as one of Europe’s elite.