By Kenneth Kabiri
Barcelona star Lionel Messi has now scored 16 ‘Clasico’ goals in the La Liga. The Argentine netted a sensational brace in his side’s 2 – 3
win at the Bernabeau. Messi is also the overall leading El Clasico goalscorer with 23 goals in all competitions.
Lionel Messi has smashed another goal scoring record in the El Clasico with his sensational brace against Real Madrid on Sunday night, April 23.
The Argentine who has scored a total of 23 Clasico goals has now scored 16 of those goals in the La Liga, taking him past Real legend Alfredo Di Stefano who netted 14 in their meetings. Christiano Ronaldo who has 16 El Clasico goals managed just 8 of those in their La Liga meetings.
It was a fight to finish as Messi’s last minute strike handed the Catalan giants a massive three points at the Bernabeau and also move the Catalan giants to the top of the La Liga standings with 75 points from 33 matches.
Los Blancos drop to second also on 75 points but on goals difference, with one match in hand. Real Madrid opened the scoring in the 24th amid controversy when Casemiro tapped-in a rebound off the post as it appeared Sergio Ramos whose initial shot off the woodwork was in an offside position.
Messi leveled in style in the 33rd minute as the game lived up to its pre-match fierce razzmatazz; it was 1-1 at the break. A superb strike from about 25-yards-out by Ivan Rakitic put Barcelona ahead in the 74th minute and barely four minutes later, Real Madrid were down to 10-men when Sergio Ramos received a straight red for a nasty challenge on Lionel Messi.
Despite playing with one man down, Real Madrid drew level when James Rodriguez scored from closed-range in the 86th minute. Messi however scored a brilliant goal three minutes into stoppage time to complete his 500th career goals. It ended; Real Madrid 2,Barcelona 3.