“With Barcelona clinging to a 2–1 lead late in this Champions League knockout tie, Messi finishes off Dani Alves’ assist to restore a two-goal cushion against Leverkusen, marking his 44th goal in the competition and 40th of the season.”
In a tense Champions League Round of 16 first leg, Messi dictates Barcelona’s away win at Leverkusen with a goal, a precise assist and relentless dribbling, taking full control of the tie’s tempo from deep and between the lines.
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 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.
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 Bayern Munich in a tense Champions League semi-final locked at 0–0, Messi finally breaks the deadlock from a Dani Alves assist, igniting Barcelona’s 3–0 first-leg win and pushing his career tally to 451 goals.