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'Can no longer score': Insane Lionel Messi drought stuns fans

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·4-min read

Lionel Messi may just be the greatest ever player to lace on the boots, but this hasn’t stopped some fans questioning his form after an unusual scoring drought.

Barcelona were fortunate to escape with three points against Real Betis in an exciting match that ended 3-2 and saw two red cards.

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Even though Messi recorded three assists, one was breathtaking, he failed to score yet again in the tight contest.

While Messi’s standards area an echelon above any other footballer on earth, the maestro has now failed to put the ball in the back of the net in his last 26 shots.

Lionel Messi with his hands on his head looking frustrated against Real Betis.
Lionel Messi during the La Liga Santander match between Real Betis Sevilla v FC Barcelona at the Estadio Benito Villamarin on February 9, 2020 in Sevilla Spain. (Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Experts and fans were quick to point out Messi has seemed off in front of goal, despite still carrying a rather lacklustre Barcelona team.

Praise was reserved for Barcelona’s all-time leading goal scorer for yet again recording a hat-trick of assists for the fourth time in his career.

Barcelona and Madrid win

In a thrilling clash at the Benito Villamarin, Sergio Canales sent Betis ahead from the penalty spot after Clement Lenglet's handball, but Frenkie de Jong levelled after a fine Lionel Messi pass.

Nabil Fekir restored Betis's lead with a low drive but Sergio Busquets converted after Barca captain Messi found him with a free-kick on the stroke of halftime.

Argentine maestro Messi's free-kick set up Lenglet for the winning goal with a towering header from the defender.

Fekir was dismissed for two yellow cards in the space of a few seconds and Lenglet received his second booking minutes later as both teams ended the game with 10 men.

Real Madrid also came from behind to thrash Osasuna 4-1 and maintain their place at the top of Spain's La Liga.

A lone Raul de Tomas earned bottom-side Espanyol their first home win of the campaign against 18th-placed Real Mallorca while Celta Vigo are out of the drop zone after a Pione Sisto goal in stoppage time earned them a 2-1 comeback win over fifth-placed Sevilla.

Real Madrid's Spanish defender Sergio Ramos (L) celebrates his goal with teammates during the Spanish league football match between CA Osasuna and Real Madrid CF at El Sadar stadium in Pamplona on February 9, 2020.
Real Madrid's Spanish defender Sergio Ramos (L) celebrates his goal with teammates during the Spanish league football match between CA Osasuna and Real Madrid CF at El Sadar stadium in Pamplona on February 9, 2020. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA / AFP)

Real Sociedad beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 in a Basque derby to move up to sixth and the second Europa League spot.

Osasuna took the lead against Real through Unai Garcia's header after 14 minutes but the impressive Isco volleyed home and Sergio Ramos headed in from close range to send the visitors to the break in the lead.

Substitutes Lucas Vazquez and Luka Jovic wrapped up the win for Zinedine Zidane's side with late goals

"In the end it was a very, very difficult game at a place it's really hard to play at, they made it tough for us today but we did it," Zidane said.

"We defended well and we controlled their strengths well, we're in a good moment and the players made chances to score (so) we got four goals at a difficult ground, to take the three points."