“In the Trophée des Champions final against Nantes, Messi breaks the deadlock for PSG at 0–0, setting them on course to lift the season’s first trophy and marking career goal 770 and his first ever strike in this competition.”
In a one-off final on French soil, Messi opens the scoring against Nantes with a sharp run and finish, setting PSG on their way to lifting the Trophée des Champions and underlining his late-career influence in big games for his new club.
Against Real Madrid in a Champions League semi-final Clásico, Messi latches onto Sergio Busquets’ pass to double Barça’s late lead to 2–0, effectively sealing the tie and adding Champions League goal number 36 to his burgeoning career tally.
Against Bayern Munich in a Champions League semi-final, Messi latches onto Ivan Rakitić’s pass to double Barcelona’s lead on the night, capping a masterclass performance en route to his 77th goal in the competition and 452nd of his career.
With Barcelona pegged back at 1–1 in a Champions League quarter-final, Messi latches onto Pedro’s assist to restore the lead against Arsenal, the second act of a four-goal masterclass that drives him toward career goal 130.
Against a Chelsea side that had frustrated him for years, Messi pounces on Luis Suárez’s early assist to break the deadlock in the third minute and set Barcelona on their way, moving to the brink of his 100th Champions League goal.