The incomparable Argentine has collected the Golden Boot for tournament top scorer in the previous two seasons, and put himself in position to receive the accolade once again by edging ahead of his rivals Mario Gomez and Samuel Eto’o.
In a season where records have been shattered on almost a weekly basis by the 23-year-old and the Catalan giants, his strike in Ukraine moved him onto 48 goals for the season, and into the record books for the highest total from a Barca player in a single season – with more than six weeks of the campaign still to run.
Now, another goalscoring feat may have shifted into his crosshairs. Since the inception of the Champions League in 1992/93, the record total for goals in one tournament is held by prolific Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, who netted an impressive 12 in 2002/03 whilst leading the line for Manchester United.
If Barca are to walk the path to Wembley for the Final on May 28, they will need their talisman in typically clinical form in order to book their place at the showpiece event. Therefore, Van Nistelrooy’s figure is very much within Messi’s reach if he can maintain his current form.
His current total of nine sees him amongst illustrious company, however. As well as equalling his own best when lifting the fabled trophy in 2009, he has left the likes of Andriy Shevchenko, Raul and a certain Cristiano Ronaldo in his wake.
‘Van Gol’ remains the man to beat, but Messi is incessant this season, and given the fact that he was desperate to play in what was effectively a dead rubber against Shakhtar, with Barca holding a 5-1 advantage from the first-leg, highlights his desire to continue to push the boundaries of excellence, and also hints at a hugely competitive streak that stretches beyond the quest for team success.
Messi has three matches to equal or better Van Nistelrooy’s haul – who would bet against him doing so en route to a Blaugrana victory next month?
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GOLDEN BOOT WINNERS
1992-93 – Romario (PSV) 7
1993-94 – Ronald Koeman (Barcelona) 8
Wynton Rufer (Werder Bremen) 8
1994-95 – George Weah (Paris Saint-Germain) 7
1995-96 – Jari Litmanen (Ajax) 9
1996-97 – Milinko Pantic (Atletico Madrid) 5
1997-98 – Alessandro del Piero (Juventus) 10
1998-99 – Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev) 8
Dwight Yorke (Manchester United) 8
1999-00 – Mario Jardel (Porto) 10
Rivaldo (Barcelona) 10
2000-01 – Raul (Real Madrid) 7
2001-02 – Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 10
2002-03 – Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 12
2003-04 – Fernando Morientes (Monaco) 9
2004-05 – Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 8
2005-06 – Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan) 9
2006-07 – Kaka (AC Milan) 10
2007-08 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) 8
2008-09 – Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 9
2009-10 – Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 8
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Lionel Messi Heading For Yet Another Record