21.05.2007 18:05
Goals from all three
Miriam Nadal
Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Messi all scored at the Calderón. With Messi and Eto'o having been injured for most of the season, this was the first time this has happened this year.
The Ronnie-Eto'o-Messi trident in attack was one of the keys to the historic rout at the Vicente
Calderón. Messi, Eto'o and Ronnie all scored at a ground where Barça have traditionally struggled.
Three of a kind
The last time all three scored in the same game
was at the Camp Nou against Racing Santander on November 27. 2005. They scored one each in a
four-goal victory, with Sylvinho adding the fourth in the 66th minute.
Injuries to Eto'o and Messi
When all three of these players find their form, Barça are a formidable team. But this has
proved difficult this year, with the Argentinian and Cameroonian having missed the best part of the
campaign through injury.
Samuel Eto'o scored in the first four games of the season, but then picked
up a meniscus injury in his right knee in the Champions League at Werder Bremen, and did not play
again until February 4 against Osasuna. Since then, Eto'o has scored seven goals.
Leo Messi injured the fifth metatarsal of his left foot against Zaragoza on November 12,
having scored three goals by that stage. He returned to action on February 11 at the Camp Nou at
home to Racing, and like his African team-mate has scored seven goals since his comeback.
Ronnie is top scorer
Ronaldinho, meanwhile, has continued to bang the
goals away with ease, and his tally of nineteen has him well on course to win the Pichichi title
for being the top scorer in La Liga.
Eto'o and Messi have scored in the same game on four occasions this season, in the 2nd, 27th
and 28th matches. Messi and Ronnie both scored against Atlético, and that was the first time they
had doubled up since the 6th game of the season against Sevilla.
Ronaldinho and the Cameroonian had only scored in the same game once before Sunday, in game
three against Racing Santander.