27.11.2009 11:23
Leo Messi: six of the best
David Puig
Leo Messi has scored six goals against Real Madrid in six games. These include the hat-trick in the 2006/07 season and a brace at the Santiago Bernabéu the day of the memorable 2-6 win.
Leo Messi likes playing Real Madrid. The Argentinian has hit them for six in the same number of
meetings, although in three of those games, he didn’t get on the score sheet.
Unforgettable hat-trick
Messi will never forget his goalscoring debut in the clásico. That was on March 10,
2007, when he got three against the all-whites at the Camp Nou, though the game ended 3-3. It was a
crazy game, conditioned by Oleguer seeing red in the 44th minute. Messi took the initiative and it
was he who scored the equaliser in the 91st minute to the delight of the packed 98,000 strong
crowd.
Goal to go 12 ahead
Last season, Messi once again got the better of Iker Casillas as Barça faced and
beat all of the mighty Sevilla, Valencia, Real Madrid and Vila-real in consecutive games. Juande
Ramos make his debut as Madrid manager on December 13, 2008, but Barça spoiled his day with a 2-0
win with goals from Eto’o and Messi, the latter in injury time. That put Barça 12 points
ahead of Madrid, a commanding lead in a league season they would eventually win in style.
Exhibition and brace at the Santiago Bernabéu
The 2-6 win was one of the greatest games the two sides have ever
played, and Messi’s dazzling runs through the Madrid defence were simply stunning. He scored
two goals to seal his claim to being the best player in the world. The Santiago Bernabéu could do
nothing but applaud their masters, as they had done three years earlier following
Ronaldinho’s virtuoso display.
Messi’s stats against Madrid
Leo Messi has played in six clásicos, two at the Camp Nou and four at the Santiago Bernabéu. He has
won three of these, drawn once and lost twice. Messi started all those games and was only
substituted on the day of his debut at Chamartín, after 70 minutes. He has played a total of 520
minutes, scoring 6 goals and getting one yellow card.