One game into La Liga’s return, Lionel Messi is already breaking new records

Quick Reads

Ninety-eight days passed between Lionel Messi‘s two most recent competitive appearances for Barcelona. Naturally, he looked like he’d never been away.

Messi scored and provided two assists in his side’s 4-0 victory at Mallorca upon La Liga’s return as Barcelona maintained their two-point advantage over Real Madrid in the title race.

His 92nd-minute strike was his 20th goal in La Liga this season, meaning he has already broken a new record just one game into the resumption of 2019-20.

Messi became the first player to score 20+ goals in 12 consecutive La Liga campaigns, and we’ve rounded up some more ridiculous stats from his season below.

– In 23 appearances in La Liga this term, Messi has contributed 20 goals and 14 assists. Both of those figures are league-best numbers.

– Messi averages a goal or assist every 58.3 minutes in La Liga in 2019-20.

– No player in Europe’s top five leagues has provided more combined goals and assists this season (Lazio’s Ciro Immobile is level on 34).

– Messi’s record for Barcelona in all competitions this season stands at 25 goals and 18 assists in 32 appearances, averaging a goal or assist every 63.5 minutes.

– He has failed to score or assist in just five La Liga fixtures this season.

– In his last 12 La Liga campaigns, Messi has scored 408 goals and provided 161 assists in 397 appearances – an average of a goal or assist every 58.4 minutes.

– Counting just his La Liga goals from those 12 seasons, Messi would still have 107 goals more than the next player on Barcelona’s list of all-time top goalscorers, Cesar, and 97 goals more than the next player of La Liga’s list of all-time top goalscorers, Cristiano Ronaldo.

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