Lionel Messi equalled Barcelona legend Xavi’s record of Barcelona’s most appearances as the Argentinian made his 767th appearance for the club in their victory against Huesca.
The 6-time Ballon d’Or winner marked the occasion by scoring twice and assisting a goal to help Barcelona win by a fine margin on the day. Messi has become the first player in history to score 20+ league goals in 13 consecutive seasons, having netted his 20th and 21st last night to become the top scorer in La Liga once again.
La Pulga will be expected to set a new record for the most appearances in a Barcelona shirt across all competitions when Barcelona take on Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Ronald Koeman happily talked about the player’s record appearance and his performance in the victory against Huesca following the final whistle, and here is what he had to say:
“I think Messi has shown that he is the best,” Koeman said. “The first goal was fantastic. He deserves to be important for this team.
“I don’t know what else to say about Leo. The level he has been at for so many years, so many games.
“He has equalled Xavi and in principle he will surpass him on Sunday.
“He is the most important man in the history of this club. Luckily he is still with us.”
Messi is yet to commit to a future with Barcelona, and Joan Laporta’s return to the post of Barcelona president is expected to help the situation as much as possible. The final decision is expected to be made when the season is over, and the new project has been officially proposed to the player.
