Messi is the leading goalscorer in the Clasico with 26 goals against Real Madrid. The Barca skipper is well ahead of Alfredo Di Stefano and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have 18 goals each.
Real Madrid's Brazilian midfielder Casemiro (down) challenges Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi during the "El Clasico" Spanish League football match between Barcelona FC and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on December 18, 2019. LLUIS GENE / AFP
Breaking records is a usual activity for Argentina talisman Lionel Messi. In Wednesday’s Clasico, the star forward added another feather to his cap by becoming the second Barca player to play 42 matches against old-foes Real Madrid.
Messi equalled former Catalonia striker Xavi Hernandez with the most Clasicos played for Barcelona, and is only behind Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos who has 43 such matches to his name.
In the 42 games against Real Madrid, Messi has played 26 matches in La Liga, followed by 8 in Copa del Rey, 6 in the Spanish Super Cup and 2 in the Champions League. Apart from Messi and Xavi, the other three players to complete the Barca top 5 with the most games against Madrid are Andres Iniesta (38), Sergio Busquets (37) and Gerard Pique (34).
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It is to note that Messi is the leading goalscorer in the Clasico with 26 goals against Real Madrid. The Barca skipper is well ahead of Alfredo Di Stefano and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have 18 goals each.
On Wednesday night, Barcelona and Real Madrid played out a goalless draw in their La Liga encounter at Camp Nou.
Notably, the most-awaited Clasico between the Spanish giants Barca and Madrid was pushed ahead from its original date of October 26 to December 18 due to political unrest in Catalonia region of Spain.
To the Spectators’ surprise, Messi fumbled an absolute sitter at Camp Nou, while Gareth Bale had almost given the all-whites the lead but a matter of millimetres saved Blaugrana, thanks to a VAR offside review.
Though there were late surges in both directions, none of the teams could find a goal till the final whistle.
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