Lionel Messi has overtaken Raul as the top Champions League scorer with a single club... Messi 67, Raul 66 Cristiano Ronaldo 46
When Lionel Messi is at his peak, there is still nobody in the game who comes close to him.
On the back of a difficult spell for the Argentine, his stunning individual performance in the 2-1 victory over Manchester City should finally see talk of his on-off form and injury woes put well and truly behind him.
Following Barcelona’s defeat to Real Valladolid at the weekend, Messi was – and not for the first time in 2013-14 - the target for criticism, but on another big European night he again showed how ridiculous it is to write off a player of his class.
Considering the opposition, this showing was undoubtedly the best we have seen from Messi since his cameo against Paris Saint-Germain in the last-eight of last season’s Champions League - around the time when his persistent injury problems began.
After the match, under-pressure coach Tata Martino responded to a question on Messi's display by saying he had provided the perfect response to the recent negativity. He said: "Sometimes criticism can provoke a reaction from the best players - they have a lot of pride."
The Argentine set the tone for a stunning individual performance right from the word go at Camp Nou on Wednesday night, tracking back all the way to his own penalty box to dispossess international team-mate Sergio Aguero in an early statement of intent.
It was by no means typical Messi, but following a week where he, his team-mates and coach Martino have come under intense scrutiny, he led by example.
On the back of a difficult spell for the Argentine, his stunning individual performance in the 2-1 victory over Manchester City should finally see talk of his on-off form and injury woes put well and truly behind him.
Following Barcelona’s defeat to Real Valladolid at the weekend, Messi was – and not for the first time in 2013-14 - the target for criticism, but on another big European night he again showed how ridiculous it is to write off a player of his class.
Considering the opposition, this showing was undoubtedly the best we have seen from Messi since his cameo against Paris Saint-Germain in the last-eight of last season’s Champions League - around the time when his persistent injury problems began.
After the match, under-pressure coach Tata Martino responded to a question on Messi's display by saying he had provided the perfect response to the recent negativity. He said: "Sometimes criticism can provoke a reaction from the best players - they have a lot of pride."
The Argentine set the tone for a stunning individual performance right from the word go at Camp Nou on Wednesday night, tracking back all the way to his own penalty box to dispossess international team-mate Sergio Aguero in an early statement of intent.
It was by no means typical Messi, but following a week where he, his team-mates and coach Martino have come under intense scrutiny, he led by example.
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