Uncharted waters: Both Messi and Cristiano are starting to be treated like regular football players

It's been a funny week for football's two biggest names. Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had their complications, each suffering a substitution when their respective sides were in need of a goal.

First up it was Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League - once his stage. With Manchester United locked at 1-1 with Young Boys and needing a goal in Switzerland, Cristiano - despite having scored the opener on the night - was withdrawn for Jesse Lingard. He didn't seem overly pleased with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's decision, and his frustrations would have only increased when Lingard switched off late on and gifted Young Boys their winner.

Then came Messi's turn. On Sunday Paris Saint-Germain had come back from a goal behind against Lyon to level through a Neymar penalty, but with time to go Mauricio Pochettino decided to take off the ex-Barcelona captain. Unlike Manchester United, PSG went on to win without the Argentine as compatriot Mauro Icardi netted a stoppage-time winner.

Time waits for no man

As Cristiano and Messi are quickly learning, they are both in their mid-30s now, with Messi 34 and the Portuguese 36. It's only natural for their bodies to start catching up with them and needing more careful management.

Pochettino defended his decision after the match, with Messi having appeared unhappy as he left the pitch and words were exchanged between the two.

"I think we all know we have great players in this 35-man squad," Pochettino said. Only 11 can play, we can't play more. The decisions in the game are made for the good of the team and each player.

"Every coach thinks about that. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes players like it and sometimes they don't. At the end of the day, that's why we're here. These are decisions that have to be made by the coach. As for his reaction, I asked him how he was, he said he was okay. That was it. That was our exchange."

Cristiano Ronaldo responded well, scoring for Manchester United in their win at West Ham on Sunday, this time completing 90 minutes and perhaps justifying Solksjaer's decision to rest him a little in midweek.

At their advancing ages, it's likely that both Messi and Cristiano will have to accept more regular substitutions than they've been used to before. With both clubs hoping to win silverware this season, they have to accept that their respective coaches will look to manage their minutes carefully, and that they won't play every second of every game.