Lionel Messi equalled a record set by Real Madrid great Raul as his penalty against Paris Saint-Germain saw him net in the Champions League for a 17th successive year. (More Football News)
A first-half penalty saw Lionel Messi equal a record set by Raul, while it also took him to 20 for the season yet again.
Lionel Messi equalled a record set by Real Madrid great Raul as his penalty against Paris Saint-Germain saw him net in the Champions League for a 17th successive year. (More Football News)
All eyes were understandably on Messi for visit of PSG, given the speculation linking him with a future move to the Parisians, and he took a back seat for a while on Tuesday.
But after Frenkie de Jong was accidentally tripped by Layvin Kurzawa when trying to latch on to a pass from Barca's captain, referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot – Messi did the rest.
He casually picked out the top-right corner of the net, giving Keylor Navas no hope, bringing himself level with Raul for the consecutive goal-scoring years in Europe's elite competition.
Messi's first was in 2005 – Raul's goals spanned 1995-2011.
Additionally, it was Messi's 20th goal of the season across all competitions, remarkably making it the 13th season in succession that he has reached that mark.
But Kylian Mbappe soon hit back for the visitors, getting them a vital away goal.
It was his 15th away Champions League goal out of a total 22 – this is the greatest proportion (68 per cent) of goals scored on the road among players with at least 20 in the competition.