LIONEL MESSI SCORED a landmark 100th goal in European competition, netting for Barcelona against Olympiacos in the Champions League last night to join Cristiano Ronaldo in an exclusive club.
The Argentina star went into the match having netted 96 in the Champions League and three in the Uefa Super Cup, and he brought up his continental century with a free-kick at Camp Nou.
Dimitris Nikolaou, whose own-goal let Barca open the scoring, scythed Messi down on the edge of the area and Olympiacos goalkeeper Silvio Proto could not prevent him making it 2-0, parrying a curling effort into the roof of the net.
Lucas Digne soon made it three, on the end of a Messi assist, with Ernesto Valverdeโs men coasting despite Gerard Piqueโs red card shortly before half-time.
Messi scored the first of his 100 in November 2005 in a 5-0 hammering of Olympiacosโ great rivals Panathinaikos, whom he has since gone on to score another three times against.
Arsenal remain his favourite prey, however, with Messi scoring nine times against Arsene Wengerโs men down the years, one more than both Celtic and AC Milan.
His tally against Arsenal is tied with Ronaldoโs respective haul against Bayern Munich in Europe, making them joint record-holders for goals against a single team.
Messi has, of course, scored all 97 of his Champions League goals for Barcelona, taking him five clear of Ronaldo as the player with the most goals for the same club in the competition.
Here are just some of the records he now holds at club level:
- Most Champions League hat-tricks (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo): 7
- Most Champions League group stage goals: 60
- Most Champions League round of 16 goals: 21
- Most Fifa Ballon dโOr awards: 5
- Most La Liga goals: 360
- Most La Liga goals in a single season: 50 (2011/12)
- Most goals in a calendar year: 79 in 2012 (91 including goals for Argentina)
Players with most goals in Uefa competitions
113 โ Cristiano Ronaldo* (151 games)
100 โ Lionel Messi* (122)
76 โ Raรบl Gonzรกlez (158)
70 โ Filippo Inzaghi (114)
67 โ Andriy Shevchenko (142)
62 โ Ruud van Nistelrooy (92)
61 โ Gerd Mรผller (69)
59 โ Thierry Henry (140)
59 โ Henrik Larsson (108)
56 โ Zlatan Ibrahimoviฤ* (139)
54 โ Eusรฉbio (70)
53 โ Alessandro Del Piero (129)
51 โ Karim Benzema* (99)
50 โ Sergio Agรผero* (86)
50 โ Didier Drogba (102)
50 โ Klaas-Jan Huntelaar* (87)
*still playing
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In other news: the laws around the breakdown, lineout and offside line have been abolished.
Saracens win then! Him and Barnes are in a league of their own for blinkers.
@David Coyne: get your excuses in early
@David Coyne: Barnes is actually one of the best out there these days.
@Bungee Aky:
Did not expect to see you on here after Jim took your head off the other day ?? Did you Email him and say sorry !! You know he is having a good laugh at you !!
Has not been kind to irish teams so far this year
Not sure who this suits more but I suspect that the more cynical team at the breakdown will be rewarded.
@Jim Demps: suits Sarries Iโd say as Garces as red means no offside and free for at rucks
@Conor Sexton: have you watched Leinster recently? Furlong and Fardy havenโt been legal at rucktime in an age. The only ruck I remember furlong staying on his feet for this season was the one he put Cloete on a stretcher at. Saracens are no angels at the ruck but neither are Leinster.
@Jim Demps: I donโt know whether to laugh or to pity you when I see how bitter you are towards Leinster. Read Nietzsche and set yourself free!
@Andrew Hurley: yawn. Not bitter at all, Iโll be supporting them in Newcastle. You going?
@Jim Demps: No, why?
@Andrew Hurley: thought you might make the effort to actually go to a game. Youโre a leinster fan right? Or are you just anti munster?I could have pointed out all the finer points of the sport to you that you wouldnโt know having not played it.
@Andrew Hurley:
Ask him if he played ::and to what level since he is making fun of your participation in the game, he is having a go at you.
โThe only ruck I remember furlong staying on his feet for this season was the one he put Cloete on a stretcher โ he must have said that at least 10 times over the last Month. Then he saysโ Iโll be supporting them in Newcastle.โ not a chance will he !!
@Jim Demps: I go to plenty of games of rugby dear Jim. Youโre such a fanboy, and so typical of a Munster fan (but I donโt think you see why).
Another insult to genuine rugby followers from the powers that be. This guy should have been put out to grass a long time ago. I hope Leinster can cope with Saracens illegal tactics because Garces will let them away with everything.
@Peter Oโ Dowd: itโs up to both teams to play the referee. While Saracens have the advantage of already experiencing him and his interpretation of the laws already, the onus is on leinster to figure out what they will and will not be allowed get away with โ which was a lot โ Iโm sure they have the experience to adapt accordingly
@Norris Kevin: fair point and itโs not as if Garces has never refereed any of the Leinster lads before. Stu and Leo will do their homework on the ref and what they need to watch out for!
@Norris Kevin: The ref should be fair and impartial & should apply the laws of rugby. It should not be up to the contestants to figure out what laws the ref will not apply n the day. If Saracens continue to cheat at the breakdown Leinster should take the law into their own hands.
@Locojoe: all very true in theory but referees are human and the laws can be ambiguously interpreted at times (e.g โ deliberately weeling a scrum, clearing out etc) All you can ask from a referee is that he applies his interpretation of the laws consistently to both sides. In this day and age, teams prepare for games and also for the ref.
If he referees the final the way he did the semi then the ruck is going to be a free for all again. At least Leinster now have a template to work off and can plan accordingly.
@Eddie Hekenui: Heโs a great referee, the best team always wins when he refs. Only Barnes close to him at a world level.
@Andrew Hurley: Iโm guessing by that you mean Saracens were the better team and his performance had no impact on the result and if so that would be correct. Saying the best teams always win when he refs is a nonsense statement. The best team tend to win 99% of games. But he has made bad decisions in big games that have cost teams. Ask Gloucester fans for their opinion on him after he cost them a European title last season.
He is a very good referee but like all refereeโs they have flaws. He doesnโt take full advantage of the tools at his disposal (namely the touch judges and TMO) and he can let the breakdown turn into a mess.
@Eddie Hekenui: I think heโs excellent and doesnโt try to be the headline in a match (like Barnes years ago and Owens throughout his career). Matches always better to watch when he refs, I think Geโs an absolute treasure.
Very disappointing! A compensationary token to French Rugby? Could ruin the game as a spectacle as synical play will dominate.
Not good news about Garces, he does not see the offside, Itoge is off most of the time
Ah facksticks, it was going to be hard enough
Irish rugby football fans have to accept that Nigel Owens canโt referee every match involving the national team or a provincial franchise.
@Treaty Bhoy: just as well, Owens has been poor for a while now. While he is decisive he is often factually wrong. Would have preferred Poite or Raynal myself.
@Kevin Colman: Agreed, I donโt rate Owens as a ref either.
Itโs just certain elements within Irish rugby football think the sun shines out of โNigel.โ I know he gives the Irish national and provincial sides plenty of decisions so thatโs why they idolise him but I think he makes it more about him than the two teams, the stupid attention seeking gags about soccer etc.
@Treaty Bhoy:
I would be very happy with him as my ref, still one of the best in the world. Also Billy would be stopped from all that illegal running over players ::he would stop him from doing that (with a smile on his face)
He letโs a good contest at the breakdown. So we need to be on the sarries ball and commit numbers to defend our own properly. Not overly worried as Sarries dont have an out and out 7 but the do have an effective back row
@Dean Soady:
Players going in off their feet and from the side is a common occurrence in top14 rugby, at least we know what to expect from him and can be prepared
It was always going to be a Frenchman, but I would have preferred to see Poite in charge. Is Raynal injured?
Would you every all stop with your complaining, heโs a consistent ref, itโs up to the teams to play within his approach of the game, and they have plenty of time to get ready, he is not as prone to a howler as other refs are and wonโt be the reason any particular team loses the game.
His approach to the breakdown is more lenient than other refs, but he always favors the team with the ball so whoever wins the possession game will also win the penalty count and in a final which will be a super tight affair that is huge.
@Bungee Aky:
Are you OK Bungee Aky ?? Jim is not a nice person and he should not be laughing at you. I donโt agree with you much of the time but you are a Rugby man and that is enough for me !!
Well another Irish side for a roasting โ he clearly impressed Saracens
Is there a dictat to referees from the authorities to keep games flowing at any cost? Watching both semi finals I couldnโt help but think that is the case. The rules regarding the breakdown are not being enforced. Side entry, clearing beyond the ruck, offside at the breakdown are not being policed at all. Has there been a rule change or are the refโs just not policing it anymore? Itโs bloody infuriating!