Messi makes more history with incredible 17-minute hat-trick
Lionel Messi has written yet another page in the history books after inspiring Barcelona to a thumping 5-0 victory over Levante.
After only featuring off the bench midweek in Barca’s 1-1 Champions League draw against Tottenham, the Argentine was back with a vengeance at the weekend in La Liga, scoring a hat-trick in just 17 minutes and adding two assists in a near-perfect display.
Luis Suarez was the first beneficiary of his teammate’s talents, volleying home in the first half to open the scoring after Messi danced through the Levante defence and delivered an inch-perfect cross on the penalty spot.
Messi proceeded to net three of his own as Barca ran riot in the Estadio Ciudat de Valencia, before popping up with another assist for Gerard Pique to round off a comprehensive 5-0 win for the visitors.
The win saw Messi feature in his 323rd La Liga victory, surpassing Xavi’s 322 wins to make the Argentine the club’s all-time winningest player in league play.
As well as leading Barca to the record-breaking win, Messi sent several individual records tumbling on a scintillating evening.
He is now the top scorer in Europe’s big five leagues, with 14 so far this Liga term.
And if goals and assists are combined Leo has racked up no less than 24, a number that is also beyond any of his competitors in Europe’s elite.
With 10 assists he is the only player out of the top five leagues to have both scored and provided in double figures during this first half of the 2018-19 campaign.
1 – Lionel Messi is the first player to reach double figures for both goals (14) and assists (10) in the top five European leagues this season. Celestial. pic.twitter.com/CGebViSpXy
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 16, 2018
Messi additionally went past his half-century for 2018, a mark he has become rather accustomed to surpassing.
50 – Between Barcelona and Argentina, Lionel Messi has scored 50+ goals in eight of the last nine years (50 in 2018). 10. pic.twitter.com/cxrme7MJO5
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 16, 2018
Overall the Argentina captain has scored 50 goals or more in eight of the last nine calendar years, taking into account both club and international strikes.
Sunday’s victory means that Barcelona enjoy a three-point lead over nearest rivals Atletico Madrid and Sevilla going into the final Liga fixtures of 2018.
The Catalans will sign off the year on Saturday at home to Celta, with the league restarting on the weekend of January 4.
Barcelona scored 5 goals today.
Messi scored 3 and assisted the other 2 🐐 pic.twitter.com/DGHhVLSuv4
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 16, 2018
'5th-best in the world' Messi
Last weekend:
—2 goals
—1 assistToday:
—Hat-trick
—2 assists pic.twitter.com/VmaOgG55Zt— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 16, 2018
Top scorer La Liga: Messi
Top assists La Liga: Messi
Most goals Europe: Messi
Most assists in Europe: Messi
Greatest of all time: Messi pic.twitter.com/mAjCFNOqbj— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) December 16, 2018
Messi has now scored 50 goals in all competitions in 2018 🐐 pic.twitter.com/v7f0T1IS7h
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 16, 2018
Messi has now been involved in 9⃣0⃣1⃣ goals during his 784 official games for club and country
⚽ 637 goals
🎯 264 assists pic.twitter.com/parkhlZYJO— MESSISTATS (@MessiStats_) December 16, 2018
2⃣0⃣1⃣8⃣
Leo #Messi
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That's 50+ goals in eight of the last nine calendar years.
Un-be-lie-vable.pic.twitter.com/APHCQrRErK— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 16, 2018
Most league goals scored in Europe's top five divisions this season: Lionel Messi (14)
Most league assists provided in Europe's top five divisions this season: Lionel Messi (10)
Mind-blowing. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/OyGm7haSGL
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 16, 2018
Lionel Messi's game by numbers vs. Levante:
72 touches
7 chances created
7 shots
4 shots on target
3 goals
2 assists
2 take-ons
2 fouls wonAn absolute privilege to watch. pic.twitter.com/7VICoH0DVX
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 16, 2018
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