Messi looks to haunt again as PSG host Real Madrid in UCL showdown

• PSG hosts Real Madrid in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League last-16
• Messi, now in PSG looks forward to haunting his favourite opponent dating back to the early 2000s when he started his career.

PSG vs Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

When the controversial Champions League last-16 draw took place in December 2021, PSG versus Manchester United looked set to be the headline fixture. However, a technical hitch resulted in a re-draw, dashing hopes – at least at this stage – of seeing Lionel Messi take on his longtime competitor in individual and club accolades Cristiano Ronaldo.

Instead, we get to take in Messi vs Real Madrid. All in all, it’s not a bad trade-off, it is yet another chance to see Messi against his oldest rivals.

There are plenty of side stories to assess heading into Tuesday’s first leg in Pac des Princes. Will Neymar be back fit in time to feature? What will Sergio Ramos think if he has to sit out the game injured? How about Kylian Mbappe going up against the side for whom he seems destined to sign at the end of the campaign?

Lionel Messi has endured a tough start to his PSG career but Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid provides an opportunity to show his levels in the game. | PHOTO: Getty Images |

Messi, though, is used to making headlines against Madrid, of course, and the Barcelona great will surely be relishing the chance to renew these particular hostilities.

Clasico rivalry reborn

It would be fair to say Messi has had something of a hard start to his PSG career, with the fearsome trio of the 34-year-old, Mbappe and Neymar had not quite clicked into full gear – indeed, the latter has missed a good chunk of the season through injury while Messi has had spells out and has also contracted COVID-19, in short, the season has not been as how many expected.

Messi netted 38 goals and contributed 12 assists in 47 games in his final season at Barcelona, striking every 110 minutes on average.

So far at PSG, he has only scored two Ligue 1 goals (one every 536 minutes), while his shot conversion rate is a measly 3.9 per cent from 51 attempts in total. His other five strikes have all come in the Champions League, at a rate of one every 90 minutes.

The Argentina international has provided seven assists from 44 chances created in the French top flight, with his creativity still evident even if he is playing in a slightly different role to that which he fulfilled in his final seasons at Barca.

But, what of Messi’s record against Tuesday’s opponents?

Messi has scored 672 goals in 778 matches across all competitions for his former side, the Blaugrana, and 26 (roughly four per cent) of those came in Clasicos. Of his 266 assists, 13 were provided against Real Madrid – iconic stats.

In total, Messi has played 45 times against Los Blancos, accumulating 3,940 minutes, directly contributing to a goal every 101 minutes.

Messi has celebrated victory on 19 occasions, tasted defeat 15 times and scored two hat-tricks. However, he failed to find the net in any of his final five Clasico appearances.

PSG forward Lionel Messi celebrates a goal against Real Madrid in the past while playing for Barcelona. | PHOTO: Getty Images |

Memorable moments

One of Messi’s hat tricks came in a thrilling Clasico in March 2014. With their title hopes on the line, Barca came from behind twice before finally prevailing 4-3 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Messi, then 26 years old, assisted Andres Iniesta’s opener before scoring once from open play and twice from the penalty spot (indeed, Messi has converted all six of the penalties he has taken against Los Blancos) after Karim Benzema and Ronaldo had netted for Madrid.

His first hat-trick came in 2006-07 when, at the age of 19, he salvaged a 3-3 draw with an injury-time equaliser.

Other highlights include a stunning free-kick in the 2012 Supercopa de Espana, though it was ultimately fruitless as Madrid went on to claim victory. Later that year, Messi scored twice in a 2-2 draw, dispatching another wonderful free-kick, with Ronaldo grabbing both of Madrid’s goals as that rivalry headed into its peak years.

In 2008-09, Messi scored twice and set up another in a 6-2 rout of Madrid, one of Pep Guardiola’s finest moments as his Barca side stormed to six trophies in a year, while in 2010-11, Messi directly contributed to all five of the Blaugrana’s goals across two legs in a Supercopa triumph.

He scored a supreme solo goal in a 2-0 Champions League victory in April 2011, with Barca going on to win the trophy that season and six years later, Messi netted twice in a 3-2 victory in LaLiga.

His second, a dramatic winner with the final kick of the game, was his 500th Barca goal and resulted in one of the most famous celebrations of all time, with Messi holding up his shirt to taunt Madrid’s fans.

While the 2021-22 vintage of Messi has not yet hit – and indeed is unlikely ever to hit – the same heights of his Barca prime, Tuesday’s fixture is another chance for him to relive his iconic status against Madrid.