BEVERLY HILLS, May 03, (THEWILL) – Superstar forward Lionel Messi was again key to Catalan giants Barcelona getting a result against Valencia with an all-important double, even though his soft penalty was stopped by former Barca keeper, Jasper Cillessen, in goal for Valencia. The striker still managed to get the ball over the line from the resultant goal-mouth scramble.
With two goals in the tie, the second from a sumptuously taken free-kick that was nostalgic perfection for Messi fans, and went in off of the upright, the Barcelona superstar takes his overall tally in La Liga for the season to 28 goals.
That haul gives Messi a seven-goal lead over his closest competitor for the highest goal in the league prize, the goal-poaching machine of Real Madrid, Karim Benzema, who has so far scored 21 after the 34 matches both sides have played, although Benzema played two matches less.
At this business end of the 2020/2021 season and with just four games left to play for in the league, the likelihood is that Barca’s talisman will once more claim the league’s Pichichi trophy, for what will be his eighth time.
The mercurial Barca captain first took the individual trophy in 2010 but missed it the following year. Then, for the two seasons that followed, in 2012 and 2013, he outscored everyone to the trophy again. He did not reach the milestone again until 2017 but since then, he has had an unassailable run of being unbeatable in the goal-scoring department, a trend that looks to continue in 2021.
After beating Valencia to go joint second on 74 points with Real and come to within two points of League leaders Atletico Madrid in the thrilling triple title-chasing club race to the finish that has become the La Liga story this season, Barcelona are next due to meet the team at the top Atlético next weekend in what is, without a shred of doubt, the most significant match in the title race so far.
La Blaugrana will hope Messi has not exhausted the goals in his boots this season and has some in his reserves for Diego Simeone’s side as they contend for everything about the title in that immensely packed decider come Saturday, May 8.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
