The Barcelona No. 10 has suffered a rather frustrating start
to the season, plagued with injury. Messi was forced to sit out Barcelona's
first four league games with a calf injury. His first start - against
Villarreal - only lasted 45 minutes then he suffered an adductor strain and had
to miss another game. He was able to set up Antoine Griezmman's first-half goal
before succumbing to injury.
Messi returned last week, midweek and set up Luis Suarez's
second goal in Barcelona's 2 - 1 win over Inter in the Champions League. That
was his first 90 minute game this season. His second was against Sevilla
yesterday. Luis Suarez, Arturo Vidal and Ousmane Dembele scored 3 goals and
gave Barcelona an early first half lead, with Messi sealing the comprehensive
win over Sevilla in the last ten minutes (through a stunning free-kick).
That was Messi's 420th league goal. He broke Cristiano
Ronaldo's record of 419 goals scored in Europe's 'top five' leagues - Spain,
England, Germany, Italy and France. Also, Messi became the first player this
century to score in 16 consecutive La Liga seasons.
Barcelona has now scored more than 300 goals under coach
Ernesto Valverde, with Messi leading the charts with 97. Barcelona finished the
game with just nine men on the pitch, but were able to keep a clean sheet (4 -
0) to stay within two points of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
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