Barcelona star Lionel Messi has joined the rest of squad in training following a disappointing World Cup campaign at Russia.
Messi was given a break after the World Cup where his side Argentina flopped, following a 4-2 humiliation by France in the last 16. Argentina squeezed to the last 16 at the expense of Nigeria. Messi will now get back to work with Barcelona, a side he inspired to a domestic double in 2017/18 under Ernesto Valverde.
Defenders Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba, who also exited the World Cup in the first knockout round, were back in training with Messi on Tuesday too.
Messi will go into the 2018-19 LaLiga season without needing to come up against his great individual rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has left Real Madrid after nine years, joining Juventus.
Lionel Messi had a forgettable world cup in Russia as Argentina crashed out in the round of 16 at the hands of eventual champions France. Some say this was Messi’s last opportunity to lift the elusive world cup trophy but the little magician has developed a habit of surprising us every now and then.
With the world cup fever over, fans are excited for the upcoming club football season with all the top clubs coming in with reinforcements to put a solid case for themselves. Ith so many changes expected there is one thing constant and this is watching Lionel Messi shine for Barcelona. The Argentine will walk out as la Blaugrana player for yet another season with yet another record to break. Over the years the little magician has broken goal scoring record all around. With 552 goals to his name, the Argentine is Barcelona’s all-time top scorer as well as La Liga’s all-time top scorer with 383 goals in 428 appearances.
On the course of scoring so many goals, Lionel Messi has scored some brilliant hattricks as well. With 30 hattricks to his name, the Argentine stands 2nd on the all-time list for most hat-tricks scored in La Liga behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi’s brilliant goal scoring ability has been witnessed in the champions league as well in which the Argentine has scored a record 7 hattricks- a record he shares with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Out so many brilliant hattricks by la pulga, here we have his top three hattricks in a Barcelona shirt:
1. Barcelona vs Real Madrid (2014)
One of the most fiercely contested Clasico of recent memory as Barcelona met Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in 2014. The evenly matched sides locked horns and the winner would have had a clear advantage in the points table. The top 2 sides in Spain battled for yet another time to seek glory and give the world a taste of Clasico mania and they didn’t disappoint.
Lionel Messi was the focal point once again as the Argentine scored a memorable hattrick which proved to be the turning point of the season as Barcelona came back from behind on 2 occasions to win 4-3 and go top on the points table.
Lionel Messi set up Andres Iniesta for the opening goal after which Karim Benzema scored 2 in succession to put real in front. The Argentine got the better of Real Madrid’s defense once again as he got on the scoresheet as well. With the scores 2-2, real were awarded a penalty which was successfully converted by Cristiano Ronaldo. With 2 controversial penalty decisions going in Barcelona’s favor in the final quarter of the match Barcelona ended up on the winning side 4-3 as Lionel Messi scored 2 from the spot to claim a hattrick.
The hattrick is more remembered for its importance in the title race than anything else.
2. Barcelona vs Bayer Leverkusen
In 2011-12 champions league season, Barcelona met German side Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 and it is fair to say that Spanish side was too much for Bayer Leverkusen. In the second leg at camp now, the world witnessed yet another sensational display by Lionel Messi as he scored 5 goals in a match- his first 5 in a match till then.
The Argentine was at his prolific best and started the scoring for Barcelona with a classic Lionel Messi chip goal and thus began Leverkusen’s traumatic journey. The Barcelona number 10 notches up 4 more goals to score 5 as Barcelona comfortably dispatched their German opponents 7-1 and 102 on aggregate to progress to the quarterfinals.
This is the only time Lionel Messi scored 5 goals in a champions league tie making it all the more special.
3. Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid (2011)
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid met in February 2011 for a highly anticipated contest. Diego Simeone put up a rock solid side against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona to keep the pressure on the Catalonia side at top of the table.
The Barcelona number 10 carried his superb form into the match and completely thrashed the Madrid club. With 3 strikes to his name, Lionel Messi gave the Camp Nou crowd exactly what they wanted.
The Atletico Madrid side that had been so dominant in the previous weeks courtesy of their tremendous defensive record was left open by the genius of Lionel Messi.
The current Spain number 1 was the man in charge between the sticks for Atletico Madrid that night and it fair to say Lionel Messi humbled him.
4. Barcelona vs Real Madrid (2007)
The day it all started as Lionel Messi scored his first ever professional hattrick for Barcelona. The Argentine put himself on the world map by scoring a brilliant hattrick Barcelona’s El Clasico rivals Real Madrid.
The day when real Madrid looked as the sure shot winners, stepped up Lionel Messi and rest, as they say, is history. The majestic Argentine took the center stage and scored one of the most memorable hattricks ever scored in an El Clasico. At just 19, the Barcelona forward exhibited skills of a veteran as Los Blancos faced the wrath, Lionel Messi.
Despite leading for the most part of the match, Real Madrid couldn’t take home the 3 points as the first ever Lionel Messi masterclass was witnessed by the world.
Lionel Messi’s heroics helped Barcelona to crawl back into the match and avoid a bitter defeat at the hands of arch-rivals, Real Madrid.
Iker Casillas was left baffled by the little magician’s brilliance as the left foot of Lionel Messi did the trick for Barcelona.