Now, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo venturing into smaller leagues as they near the end of their brilliant careers, 2024 may finally be the year for the next in line in football royalty.
Barcelona were drawn in Group E with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Sunday.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Wednesday.
Holders Barcelona were knocked out of the King's Cup on Wednesday when they won a thrilling last-16 second-leg clash at Sevilla 1-0 but were eliminated on the away goals rule after the tie ended 2-2 on aggregate.
Erling Haaland has scored 14 of Manchester City's 29 English Premier League goals so far this season with hat-tricks in his last three home matches.
Chelsea won their second Champions League title and denied Pep Guardiola's Manchester City their first with Kai Havertz grabbing a first-half goal to secure a 1-0 win in Saturday's all-English final at the Estadio Do Dragao in Porto.
Erling Haaland and Phil Foden scored hat-tricks to fire champions Manchester City to a rampant 6-3 thrashing of local rivals Manchester United in the English Premier League on Sunday.
Chelsea's Spanish striker Diego Costa was named along with usual suspects Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the 23- man FIFA Ballon D'Or short-list released on Tuesday.
Champions Manchester City could only muster a 2-2 Premier League draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Manchester City face Chelsea in the Champions League final on Saturday. Here are five key tactical battles to watch out for:
City will look to extend lead against United at Old Trafford
The favourites to replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked as Manchester United manager on Monday.
Manchester City, who crushed Gladbach 4-0 at home in September, are in second place in the group on seven points, three ahead of the Germans, and can wrap up qualification with victory in Germany.
Atletico players accused Manchester City of time-wasting in the final minutes, which the English club denied.
City did not replace Argentine striker Sergio Aguero last year when the club's all-time top scorer moved to Barcelona on a free transfer.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will not allow his players time off for Christmas as he wants to ensure they are fully prepared for Monday's English Premier League trip to basement team Hull City.
"First we have to play football and see what happens. Maybe we can then score a goal and create an atmosphere in the stadium."
It will be difficult for Lionel Messi to remain at Barcelona after he made public his desire to leave the Spanish club, his father and agent Jorge Messi said on Wednesday as he arrived in the city to negotiate his son's future.
If ever a fixture was made for striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic it is Saturday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford, according to his former Barcelona team mate Thierry Henry.
Here is a look at the clubs most likely to give City a run for their money next season.
Manchester City left back Oleksandr Zinchenko set aside some time on his wedding day to clarify comments he and his new bride Vlada Sedan made about manager Pep Guardiola in the wake of the club's Champions League defeat by Olympique Lyon.
Argentina striker Sergio Aguero said on Thursday that he will leave ManchesterCity to return home to his first club Independiente after his contract expires following the 2018 World Cup.
Manchester City's Kompany out of Liverpool clash with calf injury
Relentless will to improve drives City to greatness
Injured Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben is unlikely to recover in time for the side's Champions League quarter-final return leg in Benfica next week, coach Pep Guardiola said on Friday.
Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 on Saturday to book a place in next month's FA Cup final, thanks to a second-half goal by Hakim Ziyech which ended City manager Pep Guardiola's dream of steering his side to an unprecedented quadruple of titles.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The Argentine joined Barca on a free transfer during the close season, but made only five appearances in all competitions due to a calf injury and his cardiac issues, scoring once in a 2-1 home defeat by Real Madrid.
Champions Manchester City's 12-match winning streak in the Premier League came to an end as Julio Enciso's stunner earned sixth-placed Brighton and Hove Albion a 1-1 draw.
Alves joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2008 and made 391 appearances, becoming a regular under ex-managers Pep Guardiola, Tito Vilanova, Tata Martino and Luis Enrique before leaving for Juventus in 2016.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played across England on Sunday.
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures
Images from English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola is a 'proven winner' who will take Manchester City to a 'whole new level', the Premier League club's chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has said.
Manchester City moved four points clear of Arsenal atop the Premier League table with an 11th consecutive victory.
English Premier League champions Manchester City cruised to a 2-0 win over struggling Manchester United in their derby at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Bayern, who won the Champions League in 2013, have yet to hit top form this season, with many players tired after the World Cup and others, including Thiago Alcantara, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Rafinha, out injured.
Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez has joined Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli from Manchester City on a deal until 2027.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has suffered another setback after sustaining a groin injury in the League Cup win at Swansea City, the Premier League club said on Friday. After suffering a thigh injury in City's 1-0 Champions League semi-final defeat by Real Madrid in May, Kompany returned to action at the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday but was forced off before the end. "City skipper Vincent Kompany is receiving treatment for a groin injury sustained in Wednesday's EFL Cup win over Swansea," the club said in a statement on their website
