FCBARCELONA.CAT

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.