Messi scores 50th goal in 2019 as Barcelona stay on top
Lionel Messi made it 50 goals in a calendar year for the ninth time in 10 years on Saturday with a goal in the 4-1 win over Alaves at the Camp Nou.
The Barcelona captain did it in some style too, firing a brilliant strike past Pachecho to make it 3-1 and restore his team’s two-goal advantage after Pere Pons had pulled one back.
2010: 60
2011: 59
2012: 91
2013: 45
2014: 58
2015: 52
2016: 59
2017: 54
2018: 51
2019: 50
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 21, 2019
That’s now a half-century of goals for Messi in 2019 in his final appearance of the year as Barca head into Christmas top of the table ahead of Real Madrid.
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The goal also sees him move above Karim Benzema in the Pichichi standings on 13 goals, although the Frenchman should feature tomorrow (Sunday) against Athletic Bilbao.