Offside News

Sports

Messi wants place in Barca history

Comment: 0 September 26th, 2011 by: admin

LIONEL Messi appears in no mood to take a respite from scoring and this is what makes him excited these days.

With the prospect of becoming Barcelona’s second all-time scorer looming on the horizon, the Barcelona superstar said he would like to etch his name in the history books of the Catalan club.

The reigning World Player of the Year netted another hat-trick in Barca’s latest win last Saturday and moved closer to passing club hero Ladislau Kubala at No. 2 spot in the squad’s record goal-scorers’ list.

The Argentine’s brilliant treble against Atletico Madrid was his 11^th career-hat-trick, giving him a total of 192 goals thus far and placing him just 2 behind Kubala, the Hungarian who saw action for the team in the 1950s and 1960s.

At the rate he is going, Messi should in no time move past Cesar Rodriguez, with 235 goals, as Barca’s top goal-getter.

But he is not in a hurry. “I just take it a game at a time, but obviously I’m very excited,’’ he told Barca TV on Sunday.

Messi said he is hopeful he can achieve his goals because he wants to make history at Barcelona.

Dubbed “The Flea’’ for his ability to dance past defenders, Messi debuted for Barc’s first team in October 24 and at the age of 17 years, 10 months and seven days, he became the club’s youngest scorer when he connected against Albacete in May 2005.

He has so far scored 8 goals in 5 La Liga games this season. That output is thus far one better than last season’s top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo of rivals Real Madrid.

With his magnificent form, Messi was praised by no less than Barca boss Pep Guardiola. “He was decisive again, you can only congratulate him.’’

Guardiola dded: “He’s a player that you don’t have to explain, you just have to watch him in action. He’s two goals away from Kubala’s record, at 24 years old. It’s all been said, there’s not much to add.’’

Messi had earlier said that his success is mainly attributed to his playing for a great team and that individual awards are just secondary.

“I think the most important thing for this team is to keep winning titles for us and the fans,’’ he also told Barca TV.

More