AS Roma 3-0 Barcelona (Agg: 4-4): 5 Talking Points

#1 Messi-less Champions League: Is the battle for the Ballon d'Or now settled?

No Messi in Europe?

Oh, Lord. All that build-up and not much to match it on the night, this surely has to be one of the most disappointing days in the illustrious career of the Argentine.

A comfortable 4-1 lead from the home leg wasn't enough to keep Roma at bay and the level of appreciation that the superstar commands inherently means that if at any point he fails to deliver then the criticism that is dished out is appropriated accordingly.

Such is the effect of the little magician that even at 2-0 or even 3-0 down, all of Barcelona and those tuning in across the globe, even those present at the Stadio Olimpico for good measure, expected Messi to come up with something special - which by world standards would've unfathomable, but his his own standards - a walk in the park.

However, the divinity he is so regularly in tune with eluded him on the night but those in the alleys of Rome tonight will swear they're walking in the streets of heaven.

With now only Cristiano Ronaldo still in the reckoning for glory in the competition and with the mesmerising story of Mohamed Salah refusing to die down, has the greatest player of his generation lost all hopes of winning his sixth Ballon d'Or?