When Lionel Messi rains goals in the UEFA Champions League, he tends to pour them.
The FC Barcelona superstar scored a hat trick Wednesday in his team’s 4-0 Champions League win over Manchester City. The treble was Messi’s second in row in Europe’s elite competition — a simply astonishing feat from a player many regard as the best of all time.
3 – Lionel Messi is the second player to score two hat-tricks in consecutive #UCL games, after Luiz Adriano. Extra-terrestrial. pic.twitter.com/GCX2Z0474v
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 19, 2016
Messi scored his first goal of the game in the 17th minute.
Messi takes advantage of Fernandinho's slip and slots home his 4th #UCL goal of the season. @HeinekenSoccer #UCL https://t.co/8LPPuSO1VM
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 19, 2016
The Argentine struck again in the 61st minute and completed his hat trick eight minutes later.
Make that 5 #UCL goals this season and 88 for Messi's career. @HeinekenSoccer #UCLonFOX https://t.co/kNjluRxcXi
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 19, 2016
Aaaand that's 3 for Messi today and 6 on the #UCL season. No other player has scored more than 3. #UCLonFOX https://t.co/pNS3BGYU3C
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 19, 2016
Messi now leads the Champions League in goal-scoring this season with six (in just two games). His next closest rivals have three goals in three games.
The plaudits to come Messi’s way after his record-extending hat trick. He’s on seven, while Cristiano Ronaldo has five in his Champions League career.
The first time Messi has scored hat-tricks in consecutive UEFA matches 👍 pic.twitter.com/nw9H5dlQnE
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 19, 2016
The 7th time Leo Messi has scored 3 or more goals in a #UCL game 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/4AwvOb7Hq2
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 19, 2016
Messi now 37 career hat tricks for Barcelona.
The photo says it all: priceless.
Thumbnail photo via YouTube/MNcompsJR
