Messi and Ronaldo 'not as outstanding' as they were, says Hitzfeld

An English team is probable to win the Champions League in part due to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's decline, Ottmar Hitzfeld says.


Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are "no longer as terrific" as they as soon as were, in keeping with former Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Messi has scored forty three goals in all competitions this term, greater than every other player in Europe's top-five leagues, to assist spearhead Barcelona's contemporary treble fee.

Ronaldo has managed a greater highly modest 24 dreams in his first season with Juventus, but his hat-trick in opposition to Atletico Madrid sealed a Champions League zone-final spot for the Serie A leaders and kept alive his chances of prevailing the trophy for the sixth time in his profession.

But, both gamers have been overlooked for the 2018 Ballon d'Or, with Luka Modric ending a 10-12 months Messi-Ronaldo duopoly by means of winning France football's coveted prize.

Manchester metropolis or Liverpoor will attain final - Hitzfeld
And Hitzfeld believes every star is displaying signs of decline, meaning a most appropriate League group is the maximum possibly to grow to be champions of Europe in 2018-19.

"I consider that English clubs have accurate chances again this yr," Hitzfeld, who received the trophy as Borussia Dortmund and Bayern head train, advised Omnisport.

"They simply have a variety of potential. And, perhaps, due to the fact Messi isn't as high-quality as in his satisfactory times, also Cristiano Ronaldo. He nevertheless makes his goals, however it will be hard for Juventus to get into the last 4, despite the fact that they're constantly tactically excellently set up.

"i'm much more likely to think about an English team, so Manchester metropolis or Liverpool. One of them will surely reach the very last."

Messi's Barcelona face Manchester United in the sector-very last first leg at antique Trafford on Wednesday, the day Juve take on Ajax in Amsterdam.

On Tuesday, Liverpool play Porto and Tottenham meet Manchester town inside the different closing-eight ties.

Ronaldo, who final performed for Juve on March 12, is fighting to be fit following a muscle damage sustained for Portugal remaining month.