Lionel Messi is back! Yet, in truth, he never really went anywhere.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner put the turbulence off the pitch behind him by scoring twice for the second game in a row as Barcelona beat Granada on Saturday.
The two strikes take Messi to the top of the La Liga scorecard with 11 in 2020/21, while his second of the night also saw him overtake perennial rival Cristiano Ronaldo in direct free-kick goals.
48 – Lionel Messi ?? scored 48 direct free kick goals for @FC Barcelona in all competitions (37 in @The league), one more than Cristiano Ronaldo ?? in his professional club career (47, 32 in the league). Stars. pic.twitter.com/sKujVwD6p6
– OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 9, 2021
According to Opta, Messi’s sneaky finish under the wall means he now has 48 direct free-kick goals for Barca in all competitions, compared to Ronaldo’s 47 in his own club career.
Messi’s all-around competition on Saturday, following another two-goal performance in the win over Athletic Club three days earlier, convinced many on the lookout that the 33-year-old is back to his best.
Messi has scored six goals in his last five La Liga outings, while – as Mundo Deportivo noted – his four games in two at the 2021 opener is his second best start to a new year (behind only 2016 when he scored five).
The superstar’s contract continues to be the hot topic in Catalonia, with Messi’s deal expiring this summer.
He is, from January 1, free to negotiate with foreign clubs on a move while Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City have been linked for several months.
What picture! pic.twitter.com/TKdx7yjuP2
– Alexandra Jonson (@AlexandraJonson) January 9, 2021
Barcelona’s presidential elections take place this month with the top candidates all claiming to have plans in place to deal with Messi and his huge salary in one way or another.
After their last win against Granada, Barcelona sit third in the table, four points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid, who have three matches in progress.
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