lionel messi
Messi played in FC Barcelona's junior Infantil B and Cadete B and A teams from 2000 to 2003, scoring 37 goals in 30 matches in Cadete A. He was nearly released from the club in 2003 because of financial constraints, but his youth coaches convinced management to keep him (Cesc Fàbregas was released during this purge).[30] Season 2003–04 saw him on a record five different teams:[31] he started one match in Juvenil B (one goal) and got promoted to Juvenil A (14 matches, 21 goals). Messi made his official debut for the first team on 16 November 2003, in a friendly match against Porto,[32] before debuting for the FC Barcelona C team (Tercera División) on 29 November 2003 and for FC Barcelona B (Segunda División B) on 6 March 2004. He played for both the C and B teams during the season (10 matches, five goals and five matches, zero goals, respectively).[33][34][35]
Less than a year after his start, manager Frank Rijkaard gave him his league debut against RCD Espanyol on 16 October 2004.[36][37][38] At 17 years and 114 days, Messi was the third-youngest player ever to play for Barcelona and youngest club player to play in La Liga, a record that would be broken by Bojan Krkić in September 2007. When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balompié on 1 May 2005, Messi was 17 years, ten months and seven days old, becoming the youngest to ever score in a La Liga game for Barcelona,[39] until the record was also broken by Krkić in 2007, scoring from a Messi assist.[40] Messi said about his former coach Rijkaard: "I'll never forget the fact that he launched my career, that he had confidence in me while I was only 16 or 17."[41] During the season, Messi played also in Barcelona B (Segunda División B) scoring six goals in 17 matches
Messi shortly before scoring a goal against Getafe in a semi-finals match of the Copa del Rey on 18 April 2007
Messi shortly before scoring a goal against Getafe in a semi-finals match of the Copa del Rey on 18 April 20072013–14 season
.jpg)
Messi was nominated for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribéry, for a third consecutive year.[176] Ribéry won the award with 36 votes. Messi finished in second place with 14 votes, while Ronaldo finished in third-place with 3 votes.[177][178] On 18 August 2013, Messi opened the 2013–14 La Liga Season with two goals and an assist against Levante UD, as Barcelona went on to win the match 7–0.[179] On 28 August, Barcelona claimed their 11th Supercopa de España title over Atlético Madrid on away goals.
On 1 September, Messi scored his 23rd career hat-trick in a 3–2 win against Valencia CF. With these goals he became the player to score 100 away goals and become highest scorer in away fixtures in the league's history.[180] These goals made him the sixth-highest goalscorer in the history of La Liga, surpassing Quini'stally of 219.[181][182] On 18 September 2013, Messi scored his 24th career hat-trick in Barcelona's first Champions League win of the season, at home against Ajax, which ended 4–0. The goals made him the second-highest goalscorer of all time in the Champions League, with 62 goals, only behind Raúl, and the fourth-highest goalscorer of all time in European Competitions, with 63. With this hatrick Messi became the first player to score four hat tricks in the Champions League.[183]On 10 November, Messi suffered an injury in a 4–1 away win against Real Betis, which would keep him sidelined until January 2014. This was his third injury of the season.[184]
On 8 January 2014, Messi returned from injury to score twice for Barça in a 4–0 Copa del Rey win against Getafe.[185] On 13 January, he placed second in the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or, behind Cristiano Ronaldo.[186] On 15 February, Messi scored twice against Rayo Vallecano in a 6–0 win to overtake fellow Argentine Alfredo di Stéfano and draw level with Raúl as the third-highest goalscorer in La Liga history with 228 goals.[187]
On 16 March 2014, Messi scored a hat-trick in a 7–0 defeat of Osasuna to overtake Paulino Alcántara as Barça's top goalscorer in all competitions, including friendlies.[188] On 23 March, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–3 win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu to become the outright all-time top goalscorer in El Clásico fixtures, ahead of Di Stefano.[189]These goals also enabled him to become the second highest goalscorer in La Liga, overtaking Hugo Sánchez.[190]
Messi finished his club season with only one trophy, the Spanish Super Cup, as Barcelona finished as runners-up in La Liga, behind Atletico Madrid, who had also eliminated them in the quarter-finals of the Champions League that season. Barcelona were also defeated in the Copa del Rey final by rivals Real Madrid, although Messi was the top scorer in the competition. Messi concluded the season with 41 goals and 15 assists in all competitions, but his 28 league goals in La Liga were not enough for him to defend the Pichichi trophy, which went to Cristiano Ronaldo, who managed 31 goals.[191] On 16 May 2014, Messi agreed a new contract with the Catalan club.[192]
No comments:
Post a Comment