"Life goes on" - Ex-Chelsea defender makes interesting Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi admission ahead of 2023-24 UCL season 

Former Manchester City and Chelsea defender Terry Phelan reckons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's absence will not be strongly felt in the UEFA Champions League this season.

European clubs are gearing up to kick off their Champions League campaign for the season on Tuesday (September 19) and Wednesday on matchday one of the competition.

This season marks the first time in more than a decade that both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are not playing the competition. Both football legends bid farewell to European football in the last 12 months.

Seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi moved from Paris Saint-Germain to Inter Miami in July on a free transfer, signing a contract till 2025. Meanwhile, Ronaldo switched to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr in December after mutually terminating his Manchester United contract.

About the duo not gracing this season's UEFA Champions League Terry Phelan said that it's a part of the game, as life moves on:

"Life goes on, doesn't it? Clubs go on. I don't think any player is bigger than their club. It is exciting for managers now. I think if you look at PSG, they had three of the best forwards in the world, Neymar, Mbappe and Messi. They couldn't hit it together, any manager would have liked to have them.

"Obviously, Ronaldo's gone. He left Manchester United. He's won everything he could win in Europe. Messi's gone to David Beckham's Inter Miami. Life goes on and surely they will be missed. If you look at PSG, I think Messi didn't really settle in Paris. I think it was a poor move for him to tell you the truth and it didn't really click," he added.

Players like Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, Ilkay Gundogan, and Vinicius Jr., according to Phelan, will make this season's competition interesting.

"We still have stars in the Champions League. Jude Bellingham is there, Erling Haaland is there, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane are there with Bayern Munich. Everybody will be looking at him to see what he can do. Ilkay Gundogan for Barcelona. Vinicius Jr.

"There are upcoming stars, who can score goals. I think the world goes on and football definitely goes on," he said.

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Terry Phelan believes Kylian Mbappe is on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Terry Phelan also said that there are enough exceptional players in the competition. They're not as talented as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but Kylian Mbappe is of that level.

"There are wonderful players, probably not as big as Messi or Ronaldo. Only Mbappe is at that level. If you look around, there are still some quality players," he said.

Mbappe's Paris Saint-Germain side have reached the Champions League knockouts multiple times - even reaching the final in 2020 - but are yet to win the competition.

They commence their latest title bid against Borussia Dortmund in the Group F opener on Wednesday (September 20).