Barcelona win against Eibar their last game of the season and Messi wins his 8th Pichichi

Yesterday, a Messi-less Barcelona beat Eibar 1-0 away, securing their 3rd place spot. They didn't have a single shot in the first half, showing that Messidependencia is a very real issue within the team, but fortunately, Griemzann managed to score the winner in the second half. Atlético Madrid was crowned champion of La Liga after beating Real Valladolid 2-1.

This also confirms what had been expected since the last matchdays: Messi has won his 8th Pichichi. With 30 goals in 30 games, Messi has won the Pichichi by a clear margin, though not close to the Golden Boot race as he was 11 goals behind him, but still in 2nd spot. This Pichichi win means the following things:

• Messi won his 5th Pichichi, setting a record for the most Pichichis won in a row, beating Di Stéfano's and Hugo Sanchez's 4-peat.
• Messi equals Jean Pierre Papin's record of 5 consecutive league top scorer awards, set in the 1990/91 season.

Now, the team must focus on who stays and who goes, with many rumors going around this topic, including Koeman, the manager.

As I previously said, I will do an entry detailing Messi's performance in La Liga this season and overall. I hope you liked this entry, and as always, I'll see you in the next blog.

Barcelona lose yet another game and the charge for the title is over

Yesterday, Barcelona lost 2-1 at home to Celta Vigo. Messi gave Barça the lead with a header, but Santi Mina equalized for Celta. In the second half, Lenglet got sent off due to a 2nd yellow, and near the end of the game, a cross from Solari went to the post and Santi Mina scored on the rebound to give Celta the win. Messi's stats were: 1 goal, 1 big chance created, 2 SoT (8 in total), 0.8 xG, 2 key passes, 10 SCA, 0.5 xA, 15 dribbles out of 15, 18 duels won out of 24, 1 foul won, 1 interception, 2 tackles, 10 pressures (6 successful), 3 ball recoveries, 6 long balls, 1 cross, 60 passes out of 69, and 111 touches, which got him a perfect 10/10 rating according to WhoScored.

This was his performance on video:

Here are some fun facts after the game:

• Messi has scored 30+ league goals for the 9th season (non-consecutive), a record in the top 5 European leagues.
• Messi has given 50 G/A at club level for the 13th season in a row.
• Messi surpassed Esnaola for the most minutes played in La Liga (42150 minutes played). He's now in 8th place.
• Messi is now level with Arconada and Diego Fernández for the most completed games in La Liga (411 completed games each). He is now in 16th position alongside them.
• Messi made 15 dribbles for the first time since the 2009/10 season (Opta data).
• Messi played his 400th game at the city of Barcelona. He's also surpassed the 400-goal mark, now with 401.
• Messi scored in a La Liga game for the 300th time.
• Messi scored in a game against Celta Vigo for the 10th time.

With this loss, Barcelona is mathematically out of the race for the La Liga title, as was expected by the recent tie with Levante. Hopefully Barça can secure 3rd spot since that's all that's left for Barcelona in this season. The Pichichi, as stated numerous times before, is sealed for Messi, with 30 goals this season, 7 ahead of Gerard Moreno. I hope you liked this entry, and as always, I'll see you in the next blog.

Barcelona once again dissapoints Messi and the title race is practically gone

Yesterday, Barcelona somehow tied 3-3 with Levante away. A great volley goal by Messi and then a goal from Pedri pre-assisted by Messi gave Barcelona the lead, but Levante came back with goals from Melero and Morales. Dembélé scored to give Barcelona hopes of winning the game, but León ultimately scored the equalizer.

Messi's stats were: 1 goal, 1 pre-assist, 2 big chances created, 1 SoT (6 in total), 0.35 xG, 3 key passes, 5 SCA, 1 GCA, 0.45 xA, 3 dribbles, 6 duels won out of 10, 3 fouls won, 17 pressures (5 successful), 2 long balls, 2 crosses, 37 passes and 67 touches, which gave him a great 9.36 rating according to Infogol.

This was his performance on video: 

Here are some fun facts after the game:

• Messi has scored and/or assisted in his last 13 games against Levante.
• Messi is now tied with Esnaola in 8th place for the most minutes played in La Liga (42060)

Barcelona is now 2 points away from Real Madrid and 4 points away from Atlético Madrid with 2 games left. They're also only 2 points ahead of Sevilla FiveThirtyEight says that Barcelona only has a 2% chance of winning the title, though at least they have a 35% chance of finishing 2nd. As stated before, Messi has the Pichichi sealed with 29 goals, way ahead of his competition.

Barcelona's next games are against Celta Vigo (home) and Eibar (away). Hopefully Barça can win both games and Messi makes a masterclass in those two games as well. But until then, I'll see you in the next blog.

Barcelona ties with Atlético Madrid and the title race is still on

Yesterday, Barcelona tied 0-0 with Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou, the first 0-0 tie Barça has had since Sevilla away in the 2019/20 season. He also met Suárez once again, for the first time since he left Barcelona. The highlight was a great run from Messi where he shot a ball that was saved by Oblak, which ruined what could have been a wonderful goal. Messi's stats were: 2 SoT (3 shots in total), 0.2 xG, 3 key passes, 10 SCA, 0.54 xA, 5 dribbles, 1 nutmeg, 16 duels won out of 21, 9 fouls won, 2 tackles, 11 pressures (5 successful), 5 ball recoveries, 2 long balls, 3 crosses, 49 passes, and 88 touches. A great performance that earned him an 8.23 rating from WhoScored.

This was his performance on video:

Here are some fun facts after the game:

• Messi surpassed Raúl García and is now in 7th place for the most games played in La Liga (518).
• Messi surpassed Molina and is now in 18th place for the most games completed in La Liga (409).

Messi still leads with what now seems an absolute lead in the Pichichi, being en route for a historic 8th. He's still the best player by far in the league as well, according to all the algorithms.

There's not much to detail other than it was a crucial game to win, a draw gives Real Madrid the chance to rise from 3rd to 1st in the league. There are only 3 games left in the league, all of which seem relatively simple (Levante away, Celta at home, and Eibar away). Hopefully, those games can be won, though there's also the need for Atlético and Real Madrid to drop points since Barça are no longer dependent on themselves. I hope you liked this entry, and as always, I'll see you in the next blog.

Another Messi masterclass earns Barcelona 3 more points

Yesterday, Barcelona beat Valencia 3-2 with yet another great performance from Messi. Gabriel Paulista gave Valencia the lead 50 minutes in, but Messi, after missing a penalty, managed to score the equalizer. Griezmann then gave Barcelona the lead 2-1, and Messi consolidated it with a great free-kick goal. Soler's late goal didn't serve for much as Barcelona won 3-2 anyways. Messi's stats were: 2 goals, 1 big chance created, 3 SoT (5 in total), 1.84 xG, 7 dribbles, 1 key pass, 1 GCA, 6 SCA, 0.45 xA, 10 duels won out of 14, 3 fouls won, 1 tackle, 5 pressures (1 successful), 2 passes blocked, 4 ball recoveries, 2 long balls, 67 passes out of 86, and 108 touches. A great performance that earned a 10/10 according to Infogol. This was his performance on video:

Here are some fun facts after the game:

• Messi scored his 50th free-kick for Barcelona.
• Messi scored his 130th outside-the-box goal (free-kicks and open play).
• Messi has equaled Ronaldo's free-kick goal amount (56).
• Mestalla became the 6th stadium Mesi has scored 10+ goals in.
• Messi played his 20th game at Mestalla.
• Messi became the only player to score 10+ La Liga goals in 5 different away stadiums.
• Messi surpassed Carmelo Cedrún and is now tied in 18th place with Molina for the most games completed in La Liga (408).
• Messi is now tied with Raúl García in 7th place for the most games played in La Liga (517).
• Valencia became the 3rd side he has scored 30+ goals against.

This was an important game to win, as were the games before and as are the following games in the race for the La Liga title. Messi still leads in the Pichichi race by a good margin, so his Ballon d'Or campaign is looking good so far. The next game will be crucial, as Barça will be facing Atlético Madrid at home, which will probably settle who stands in the title race if it doesn't end in a draw. But until then, I'll see you in the next blog.

Messi in April: Great performances and a trophy

April is over, and we now begin the last month of the season, May. But it's time to go back and look at Messi's performances in April, where he proved that he's still the best player in the world.

In only 6 games, he scored 5 goals and made 1 assist as well as 2 pre-assists. He was the MoTM in 5/6 games and never dropped a below-7 performance. Other stats include: 3 big chances created, 14 SoT (36 in total), 23 dribbles, 12 key passes, 31 SCA, 2.03 xA, 44 ground duels won, 1 aerial duel won, 24 fouls won, 1 through-ball, 8 crosses, 12 long balls, 313 passes, and 509 touches. Amazing stats.

On a collective scale, he was important in Barcelona's victories in La Liga which put them very close in the race, though the game against Granada was a shame. He also won the Copa del Rey as the final's MVP, another title to the numerous he's had in his career.

These were his highlights of the month on video:

The objectives for May is to hopefully win La Liga and the Pichichi, which would also seal the MVP. But until then, I'll see you in the next blog.

A great performance by Messi is overshadowed by Granada's win

Messi scored to give Barça the lead, but unfortunately, Granada made a comeback in the second half and won 2-1 in the Camp Nou. Despite dominating the entire game, Granada took their chances while Barcelona couldn't materialize more than 1 goal. Messi's stats were: 1 goal, 2 SoT (6 in total), 0.77 xG, 3 dribbles out of 5, 2 key passes, 6 SCA, 0.4 xA, 9 duels won out of 15, 6 fouls won, 2 ball recoveries, 1 successful pressure out of 3, 1 long ball, 2 crosses, 72 passes out of 88, and 109 touches, which was a MoTM performance and even a 10/10 according to Infogol. This was his performance on video:

Here are some fun facts after the game: 

• Granada became the 17th team to concede 15+ goals from Messi, the 20th team to concede 19 G/A from him, and the 16th team Messi has played 15+ games against.
• Messi scored his 470th La Liga goal.
• Messi surpassed Raúl García and he's now the 7th player with most games played in La Liga.
• Messi surpassed Joaquín and he's now the 9th player with the most minutes played in La Liga.
• Messi is now tied with Carmelo Cedrún in 19th place for the most games completed in La Liga.

This loss has hurt Barça's title chances, but there is still hope with some games left in the league. The Pichichi seems to be sealed, though, but the main priority is La Liga. Hopefully, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid drop points, while Barça wins all of their remaining games left. But until then, I'll see you in the next blog.

Barcelona get another important win

Yesterday, Barcelona beat Villarreal 2-1 away, some important 3 points in the race for La Liga. Chukwueze gave Villarreal the lead but Griezmann quickly comebacked the game with a brace in 7 minutes. Messi's stats were: 1 SoT (3 in total), 5 dribbles out of 7, 3 SCA, 0.09 xA, 8 duels won out of 16, 6 fouls received (1 red card, 1 yellow card), 1 tackle, 4 successful pressures out of 18, 1 long ball, 44 passes out of 49 and 69 touches. A good 7.3 performance according to Infogol which helped in Barça's victory, especially with the red-card foul he received. This was his performance on video:

The 6 fouls he received today was the highest amount he received in La Liga this season. And continuing on the subject, he received a nasty foul from Manu Trigueros which could have seriously hurt him, but he got back up in about a minute. Not long after he also received a hit to the face.

Barcelona still only rely on themselves to win La Liga, Messi still leads in the Pichichi as well as being tied for the most assists in the league, which could land him the MVP too. So all in all, it's going good, and form must be kept if we want to keep dreaming. But until then, I'll see you in the next blog.

Barça get a huge win against Real Sociedad at Anoeta

Yesterday, Barcelona won 6-1 against Real Sociedad away in Messi's 768th game as a Barcelona player, breaking Xavi's record of 767. The first goal came from Griezmann, which was pre-assisted by Messi, then a goal from Dest (his first in La Liga) which was assisted by Messi with a great through-ball, then yet another goal from Dest, then a goal from Messi, then a goal from Dembélé assisted by Messi which was annulled for offside, then an actual goal from Dembélé not long after, a discount goal from Barrenetxea and finally a goal from Messi to finish the game. Messi's stats in the game were: 2 goals, 1 assist, 1 pre-assist, 1 big chance created, 3 SOT (5 in total), 7 dribbles, 2 key passes, 5 ground duels won, 1 foul won, 1 tackle, 8 pressures (2 successful), 63 passes and 101 touches, completing yet another 10/10 performance.

This was his performance on tape:

A very important victory against 5th place Real Sociedad puts us right where we were before, 2 points ahead of Real Madrid but 4 points behind Atlético Madrid, but now we have a difficult game off our back now. It is clear that Barça is serious about winning the title, and hopefully, considering some of Atlético's last games, they can drop points and Barcelona can finally get to 1st place again.

Meanwhile, Messi leads the Pichichi by 4 goals (23 to Suárez's 19) and is now the joint-top assist provider in La Liga alongside Kroos, Aspas, and Llorente, all with 8 assists, after having very low numbers at the beginning of the season.

Now comes the international break, although Messi won't play it due to some conflicts between South American national teams and FIFA, so it will be mainly Europe WC qualifiers. Action will come back in April 5th against Real Valladolid. But until then, see you in the next blog.

Barça gets a crucial win over Sevilla in La Liga

Yesterday, Barcelona won one of their most important games this season in La Liga. With amazing vision, Messi assisted Dembélé's first goal, and later secured the win near the end of the game with a fantastic solo play that ended with a rebound and a weak foot goal. His stats were the following: 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 big chance created, 3 SOT (4 in total), 7 dribbles, 1 key pass, 13 ground duels won, 4 fouls received, 1 interception, 2 tackles, 14 pressures, 2 long balls, 56 passes and 94 touches, which all combined made for yet another 10/10 performance from him. He also leads the Pichichi race by 3 goals over Suárez, and last but not least, he's scored his 30th goal against Sevilla, the first rival he has scored 30+ goals against.

This was his performance on video:

Although doubtful at first of Barça's capacity to actually win the game, they gave me a good surprise as they not only beat them 2-0 away but also had a few chances to increase the lead. Hopefully, this match can narrow down Barcelona's lowest position this season to 3rd rather than 4th.

In the following days, Barça will meet Sevilla again, this time for the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals, looking to comeback a difficult 0-2 aggregate and get a ticket for the final at Sevilla. Until then, see you in the next entry.

Still alive in the race

Yesterday, Barcelona beat Elche with a comfortable 3-0, with 2 goals from Messi and then the third goal from Alba helped by a beautiful pre-assist from Messi. Messi's stats were the following: 2 goals, 1 pre-assist, 1 big chance created, 2 SOT (3 in total), 4 dribbles, 2 key passes, 6 ground duels won, 1 foul received, 1 tackle, 7 pressures, 57 passes and 90 touches, another 10/10 performance from the GOAT. Also, according to some sources, he has equalled Romário's 728 goal tally, another step forward.

Here is a video compiling his excellent performance:

Although the first half could have been better, the second half would prove to be the wake-up call for Barça, especially after Messi's first goal. And speaking of Messi's goals, he is currently leading the Pichichi race with 18 goals, 2 ahead of Suárez, and the odds are looking good to reach his 8th Pichichi, which would be wonderful.

Barça's next game will be certainly tough, as they'll be facing Sevilla. It will be a crucial game not only because of the opponent they're facing, but also because they're only 2 points ahead with 1 more game. But until then, see you in the next entry!

Everything's back to normal

With a crushing 4-0 away win against Granada, Barcelona have now gone on an 8-game unbeaten streak, and their 4th consecutive away win. Of course, Messi was once more crucial, scoring a brace from 2 shots in the game, 3 ground duels won, 2 fouls received, 1 tackle, 1 long ball, 51 passes and 67 touches in only 65 minutes, since he was subbed off surprisingly by Koeman.

Credit: FC Barcelona

But what was even more surprising was his free-kick goal, shooting low, nutmegging a player and entering the net after many attempts and close calls. He has now scored 54 free kicks in his career, an amazing amount, and he's also scored a FK for the 14th year in a row. With his two goals in total, also he broke the 250 away goal barrier for Barcelona, a great milestone. And he's now the Pichichi with 11 goals, one more than Moreno, yet another incredible thing to consider.

The finishing was good, they scored 3 open play goals after all, so there's no need to complain about that. Only three points separate Barça and Real Madrid, and although only 4 separate them from Atlético Madrid, they have 3 games in hand, so they seem unstoppable at the moment. Hopefully, we can sweep 2nd place.