Messi is breaking all kinds of records this year. His 48 goals in 46 games are already a club high. It just doesn’t look like this man is ever going to stop when it comes to rewriting the record books, and he has got his goalscoring touch back just in time for the most crucial part of the season.

Messi at the Bernabéu

Messi loves a good clásico. His first ever hat-trick was scored against Madrid. He has beaten Casillas no fewer than 7 times in 9 league meetings. He scored a brace on the night of the famous 6-2 win, and also scored the opener in last season’s meeting. He has scored 3 goals in Madrid, as has Henry, as has Ronaldinho and also as have Zaldúa, Asensi and Rivaldo. But one more goal on Saturday, and he will have scored more goals at Chamartín than any Barcelona player before him.

Messi and Mourinho

Messi is feared by Madrid, that much is sure. But curiously enough, their current manager, Jose Mourinho, has yet to feel the Argentinian’s full punch. Not when he was at Chelsea or Inter, nor so far at Madrid, has the Portuguese coach seen Messi score a goal against one of his teams. Not that Messi hasn’t excelled in some of those matches, including two assists for Villa in the league game earlier this season, and an outstanding performance at Stamford Bridge in which he made mincemeat of Del Horno.