Messi sets new scoring record with latest Barcelona hat-trick

Three more goals against Nicosia sets new European record to go with Saturday's Spanish landmark

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi
(Image credit: SAKIS SAVVIDES/AFP/Getty)

Apoel Nicosia 0 Barcelona 4. Lionel Messi notched yet another hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed the champions of Cyprus in their Champions League encounter and the Argentine striker set yet another record in the process. The 27-year-old Messi went into the Group F game level on 71 Champions League goals with former Real Madrid forward Raul. Not for long. Once Luis Suarez had given the Spanish giants the lead on 27 minutes, Messi decided it was time to get in on the act.

His strike on 38 minutes took him past Raul's record, and by the end of the evening he had added two more to take his European tally to 74. Not a bad night's work for Messi, and another milestone in his remarkable career to go with the one he established on Saturday when he surpassed Telmo Zarra's record (set for Athletic Bilbao in the 1940s and 50s) of 251 top-flight goals in Spanish football.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Bill Mann is a football correspondent for The Week.co.uk, scouring the world's football press daily for the popular Transfer Talk column.