2011-2020: How many matches did Lionel Messi take to score his first league goal of the season in the last decade?

Ritabrata Banerjee

2011-2020: How many matches did Lionel Messi take to score his first league goal of the season in the last decade? image

Paris has not been too kind to Lionel Messi so far in Ligue 1. The Argentine star, who moved to PSG from Barcelona, is yet to score a goal in the ongoing 2021/22 season of the Ligue 1.

Messi made his Ligue 1 debut in PSG's fourth league match of the season, coming on as a substitute in the second half replacing Neymar on August 29, 2021. Since then, he has appeared in five Ligue 1 matches for the Paris-based club but is yet to find the back of the net even once.

The Argentine, however, has scored in the Champions League. He first found the net in PSG's second group game against Manchester City, helping them win 2-1. In their next match, Messi scored a brace against RB Leipzig as PSG clinched the tie 3-2.

Lionel Messi Barcelona Elche La Liga 201415

To put this slow start in perspective, in the last 11 years, the former Barcelona star has not taken more than three matches to score his first league goal of the season. During the 2019/20 season, Messi scored his first league goal against Villarreal in his third league appearance and the club's eighth league game. That was the latest he had taken to score his first league goal in the last decade.

This season, PSG has played 12 matches so far in the season out of which the Argentine has appeared in five matches but he is yet to find the back of the net.

Here, we take a look at Lionel Messi's performance in the last decade?

Season Barcelona's match Messi's appearance Match result No. of goals
2011-12 2 2 FC Barcelona 5-0 Villarreal 2
2012-13 1 1 FC Barcelona 5-1 Real Sociedad 2
2013-14 1 1 FC Barcelona 7-0 Levante 2
2014-15 1 1 FC Barcelona 3-0 Elche 2
2015-16 3 3 Atletico 1-2 FC Barcelona 1
2016-17 1 1 FC Barcelona 6-2 Real Betis 2
2017-18 2 2 Alaves 0-2 FC Barcelona 2
2018-19 1 1 FC Barcelona 3-0 Alaves 2
2019-20 8 3 FC Barcelona 2-1 Villarreal 1
2020-21 3 3 FC Barcelona 4-0 Villarreal 1

 

Ritabrata Banerjee