Lionel Messi was substituted during Paris Saint-Germain's win over Juventus on Tuesday night, marking the first time he has been taken off in the Champions League in nearly eight years.
The Argentine, 35, had completed every match he's started in Europe's premier competition since Barcelona's 3-1 victory Ajax on October 21, 2104. Messi, of course, was playing for Barcelona in that game - assisting their opening goal and scoring their second.
Messi wasn't directly involved in a goal during PSG's 2-1 win at the Parc des Princes, yet he didn't need to be with Kylian Mbappe bagging a first-half brace. Weston McKennie halved the deficit after the break before Messi came off in the 84th minute.
The former Barcelona captain's incredible eight-year run saw him start and finish countless group games, several knockout fixtures and the 2015 final, which ended in a 3-1 win for the Spanish side. Ironically, Barcelona's opponents in that final were Juventus.
Another good omen for PSG is that Messi went on to lift the Champions League seven months after being subbed off against Ajax. PSG are desperate to get their hands on a maiden European Cup after losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the final two years ago.
Messi's former Argentina teammate Sergio Aguero has backed PSG to win the Champions League this season. "Leo Messi’s team will always be a candidate [to win the Champions League]," Aguero told Stake after PSG's latest triumph.
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"We know his competitive spirit. And even more, if he is with great players like Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. And PSG has already gained a lot of experience in Europe."
The man who substituted Messi and ended his record was PSG boss Christophe Galtier, who succeeded Mauricio Pochettino in the summer. Speaking to PSG's website after Tuesday night's win, he said: "I think that on the whole, the win was deserved.
"It’s important for our supporters, for the club, for the player and for me on a personal level. But winning in this manner will also allow the squad to develop because you realise that you need to put in incredible effort at this level of the competition.
"But it was also the opportunity to change the story, by beating Juventus. At 2-1, there were questions in people’s heads, in the atmosphere within the Parc, which was magnificent this evening, extraordinary. Changing the story isn’t easy. And I say it again, winning with character helps one and other to grow."
PSG skipper Marquinhos added: "What’s to come? We can’t ease off in terms of effort. If a player needs a breather, we have a full squad to cover them. That’s what makes the strength of a squad. We have a whole season to get through with objectives to meet.
"You need to know how to rotate the squad so that the team doesn’t ease off. Today the coach made the changes needed to get energy back into the team, and we need to maintain these high levels because we are going to go out and achieve great things this season."
