Lionel Messi showed yet again why he’s one of the most unselfish players around on Thursday night.
The Barcelona superstar gave up the chance to grab a hat-trick and instead chose to let Antoine Griezmann take a 93rd minute penalty so the Frenchman could get on the scoresheet.
It was not the first time Messi has done such a thing, though, as back in 2015 he did that exact same thing to let Neymar score.
The 33-year-old still scored two, though, and in doing so achieved another remarkable feat as he netted twice in their LaLiga game with Getafe on Thursday night.
Messi scored two goals in the first half as Barca raced to a commanding lead as they went on to win 5-2 to keep pace with both Madrid teams.
AFP
He even gave up his chance of a hat-trick as a handed a 93rd minute penalty to teammate Antoine Griezmann.
The double meant the Argentinian hit 25 LaLiga goals for the 12th consecutive season.
An astounding achievement, something no other player has managed in Europe’s top five leagues.
Messi has had a remarkable calendar year so far and has already hit 30 goal involvements, even though we are still in April.
Lionel Messi LaLiga goals
2004/05 – 1
2005/06 – 6
2006/07 – 14
2007/08 – 10
2008/09 – 23
2009/10 – 34
2010/11 – 31
2011/12 – 50
2012/13 – 46
2013/14 – 28
2014/15 – 43
2015/16 – 26
2016/17 – 37
2017/18 – 34
2018/19 – 36
2019/20 – 25
2020/21 – 25
He has 22 goals and eight assists to his name in all competitions and is a far cry from the form he showed earlier this season.
We all know the story. He wanted to leave, the club wouldn’t let him and he reluctantly stuck around for at least another season.
What it did prove is that Messi is perhaps human after all and those outside influences did really have an impact on his game.
He scored a mere ten goals, and recorded one assist in the first 18 games of the season, a run of games that included defeats to Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
AFP
It left Barcelona well off the pace in LaLiga, with Atletico seemingly running away with the title.
But things changed. Josep Maria Bartomeu, someone who was the source of much of Messi’s frustrations, stepped down as club president and was replaced by Joan Laporta in March.
And since the start of the year, Messi has been on a remarkable hot streak that has dragged Barcelona back into the title race and also led them to the Copa del Rey.
They are five points off leaders Atletico with a game still in hand.
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