FCBARCELONA.CAT

26.02.2008 12:47

Messi set for first ton

Berta Brau / Sergi Nogueras

If he plays against Valencia on Wednesday, Leo Messi will have made 100 official appearances for FC Barcelona, which is some achievement for a player of just 20 years of age.

The youngster from Rosario but who grew up through the Barcelona youth system has done little but impress since breaking into the first team and is about to make his 100th appearance in official matches, taking into account games in the League, Copa de Rey, Champions League and different Super Cups.

Aged just 20, Messi is the youngest player in club history to have clocked up a century of official matches.

Since his debut

It was on October 16, 2004 at the Lluis Companys that Lionel Messi came on for the first time as a Barça first team player. He scored his first goal 6 months later on May 1, 2005 against Albacete. That made him the team’s youngest ever goalscorer, although Bojan has since beaten that record. But from that point on, Messi has exploded as a player and is now considered one of the best in the world.

Goals galore

In his 99 official matches, he has scored no fewer than 41 goals, and is one of the most feared strikers in the football world. He has been on target 30 times in the league, 3 in the cup and 8 times in Europe. He is the top scorer so far in this season’s Champions league with 6 goals.

Such achievements are all the more impressive when we remember that Messi has missed large chunks of two seasons with 3 and 4 month injuries.