“Dani Alves’s assist in this knockout tie helps Messi push Barcelona’s aggregate lead beyond reach against Stuttgart, capping a dominant Man of the Match Champions League display and taking him to his 21st goal in the competition.”
Messi’s brace in this Champions League Round of 16 second leg blows the tie open, with both goals setting the tone for a dominant 10/10 display that sends Stuttgart out and Barcelona comfortably into the quarter-finals.
In a tense El Clásico Champions League semi-final deadlocked at 0–0, Messi latches onto Afellay’s low cross to break Madrid’s resistance and give Barcelona a crucial first-leg lead, on the way to a brace and his 35th Champions League goal.
Against a relentless Liverpool in a Champions League semi-final, Messi doubles Barcelona’s lead to tilt the tie decisively their way, and the strike also becomes his mythical 600th goal for the club.
In a Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona trailing Arsenal, Messi’s first strike instantly drags Barça level and ignites the four-goal masterclass that turns this night into his iconic Camp Nou ‘poker’, capped as career goal No.129 and his 22nd in the competition.
Against Manchester United in a Champions League quarter-final with the tie still goalless, Messi breaks the deadlock at Camp Nou to put Barcelona in control on the night and moves his tally to 109 goals in the competition.