Read on Twitter
Messi has had knockout performances in Europe that would be considered career defining for other great players almost every year since 2009. https://twitter.com/lionel10team/status/1354085241632256003
If we just pick one KO game (there are more):
2009 Bayern H
2010 Arsenal H
2011 Madrid A
2012 Leverkusen H
2013 Milan H
2015 Bayern
2018 Chelsea H
2019 Liverpool H
2020 Napoli H
2009 Bayern H
2010 Arsenal H
2011 Madrid A
2012 Leverkusen H
2013 Milan H
2015 Bayern
2018 Chelsea H
2019 Liverpool H
2020 Napoli H
What’s scary is hardly any of the goals he scored in those games were typical striker goals (only rebound vs Liverpool and some 1v1 chips against Arsenal+Leverkusen which were exquisitely taken).
The complexity of these goals is evidence that what Messi does in these big games cannot be taken for granted, it’s not normal at all. He’s essentially the conductor of the orchestra but is adding usually a brace ON TOP of that.
This is one of the things that shows Messi is a FAR better player than Neymar for example.
Stating the obvious here but Ronaldo is the only other player of this generation who can influence these CL KO games with a similar level of ruthlessness. For example:
2016 Wolfsburg H
2017 Atletico H
2018 Juventus A
2019 Atletico H
2016 Wolfsburg H
2017 Atletico H
2018 Juventus A
2019 Atletico H
And when Ronaldo does it he’s scoring hattricks like it is nothing. Best goalscorer ever in my eyes.
