06.02.2011 14:04

Messi out of this world

Jordi Clos

Leo Messi put in another extraordinary performance against Atletico Madrid on Saturday night, chalking up his fourth hat trick of the season and placing himself on top of the La Liga goal scorers table.

Three more and now he’s on 24. Leo Messi is the new pichichi of La Liga following his hat trick against Atletico Madrid and the reigning Golden Boot winner has done it after playing in 19 of the season’s 22 games so far.

There are still 16 games to go, but Messi is already closing in on the total he managed last season (34) and the La Liga record(38).

Hat trick number four

In all competitions, Messi has so far scored 40 goals in 33 games and is looking set to beat his fantastic record last season -47 in 53 games. The three against Atletico was his fourth hat trick of the campaign after bagging three against Seville, Almeria and Betis and is his ninth in all for the first team, including the four goals he scored against Arsenal last season.

Fourth highest scorer in Club history

At just 23, Messi now overtakes Escolà and moves into fourth spot in the Club’s all time goal scoring table on 167, with only César (235), Kubala (196) and Samitier (178) ahead of him. In his seven seasons with the first team, he has scored 112 goals in La Lliga, 31 in the Champions League, 17 in the Cup, 2 in the World Club Cup and 5 in the Spanish Super Cup and he remains the most effective scorer in Guardiola’s record smashing team.