After becoming the first player ever to score 40 or more goals in 10 successive seasons, FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi notched up another impressive milestone on Tuesday night, one longstanding rival Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to attain.
Tired of reading? Click through the mini-gallery to see records Messi currently holds for this season, according to Opta Sports and WhoScored.com!
The Blaugrana's record goalscorer was named on the bench by Ernesto Valverde for the club's match against Villarreal on Tuesday night, during which Barca raced into a two-goal lead in the opening 20 minutes of the clash at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
Characterised by some poor defending, Barcelona endured a second-half collapse as Villarreal not only managed to claw their way back into the game, but managed to take a 4-2 lead with 10 minutes left in the game.
The Argentine was brought on just after the hour-mark, when the score was deadlocked at 2-2, only to see his side concede another two strikes, leaving them on the brink of their first LaLiga loss since a 4-3 defeat to Real Betis in November 2018.
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Messi, however, had other ideas, netting a 90th-minute free-kick before Luis Suarez's last-gasp equaliser helped Barca complete a dramatic comeback.
According to Opta Sports, in addition to scoring his sixth direct free-kick of the 2018/19 campaign – more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues – the 31-year-old is also the first player in Europe's elite leagues to score more than six direct free-kick goals in consecutive seasons since at least 2006/07.
6 - @FCBarcelona's Lionel Messi is the first player in the top five European leagues to score 6+ direct free-kick goals in consecutive seasons since at least 2006/07. Magic. pic.twitter.com/9tWU9PXhWA
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 2, 2019
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Which player do you think will finish their career with more free-kick goals, Messi or Ronaldo? Have your say in the comments section below.
