The star man for Barcelona as they booked their ticket to the Champions League quarter-finals was Lionel Messi, who scored twice and who set up two goals.
Messi said at the start of the season that he really wants to win the Champions League this year and he has responded to those words with his actions on the pitch.
His numbers are better than they have been at this stage in the past three seasons, higher than they have been since the 2014/15 campaign in which the Blaugrana won a treble.
Already this season he has scored 36 goals and provided 18 assists, meaning he has been directly involved in 54 goals - which is almost exactly half of the 109 the team have scored so far.
That's his best tally at this stage of a season since the first Luis Enrique season in 2014/15 when he'd scored 41 times and assisted 20 times.
(Goals and assists at this stage of each season)
His rivals across the continent aren't matching him, with Messi leading the way in the top five European leagues in terms of goals and in terms of assists and with Messi the joint-top scorer in the Champions League alongside Robert Lewandowski with eight continental strikes.
The No.10 remains some way behind Ronaldo on the all-time Champions League scoring list, with his 108 goals behind the Portuguese's 125, but when looking at this individual season it is clear that Messi is fired up and determined to lift the European Cup one more time.
tamcklprt
97
messi was about the shoot with his left but suddenly remembered pele is criticism and made it for the right
tamcklprt
89
messi
Surrender
77
Lionel Messi is and always will be the greatest player of all time I don't care what anyone says I think Lionel Messi is better than Pele, Maradona, Brazilian Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, George Best, Johan Cruyff and Cristiano Ronaldo as well even though am a Chelsea fan
Eshant
66
If you have scored 36 goals in 36 games, you are a deadly striker. If you have 18 assists in 36 games, you are an amazing playmaker. But the fact that Leo Messi has both in just 36 games makes him the best player in the world, or I should say history.
Dohtmhan
62
SOO HUMBLE I DONT UNDERSTAND AN EXAMPLE TO ALL MANKIND.WHATEVER THE POSITION YOU ARE,THE SALARY YOU GET,HOW PEOPLE PRAISES YOUR NAME,THE THING IS BE HUMBLE LIKE MESSI❤️❤️❤️🐐🐐🐐❤️❤️🙏
Mosanya
52
Messi has been incredible this season, scoring goals and creating assists for Barca, he is unbelievable and magical.....he has been in the best form this season so as Barca too, this is the best of Messi we have seen in 2014/15 I hope he continues and I hope Barca wins trophies....
Dohtmhan
52
DESPITE ALL THESE TALENTS MESSI IS EQUIPPED WITH HE IS SOO HUMBLE AND DOESNT PUT UP ANY UNSPORTSMANLIKE BEHAVIOR.I THINK UPCOMING YOUNGSTERS SHOULD PICKED A LESSON FROM HIS BEHAVIOR ASIDE HIS TALENTS ESPECIALLY VINICIUS JNR AND MBAPPE🤣 👑👑👑🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐
Adityaraj18
42
I don't want to copy anyone comment so i shared the screenshots