Barcelona's Lionel Messi Averaging Best Goal & Assist Rate Yet as Record Breaking Season Continues
We're running out of ways to describe the great Argentine.
Year on year Lionel Messi somehow finds a way to amaze the footballing world, and he's at it once again this season. He may have (controversially) placed fifth on the list of Ballon d'Or voting - much to the disgust of many - but he's certainly making the voters eat their words by having statistically the most productive season of his remarkable career to date.
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Messi's stats so far this season were highlighted in a report by the Daily Mail, showing that the forward has not scored the most goals (14) and assists (10) in Europe's 'big five' leagues, but the Argentine is currently averaging a direct goal contribution every 48 minutes!
He is now on track to surpass his previous best of a goal or assist every 51 minutes he managed back in the 2011/12 season - statistically his best season of his career - and the statistics for his remarkable start to this campaign just keep coming.
Season | Minutes per goal or assist |
2004-05 | 233 |
2005-06 | 129 |
2006-07 | 145 |
2007-08 | 102 |
2008-09 | 71 |
2009-10 | 75 |
2010-11 | 60 |
2011-12 | 51 |
2012-13 | 54 |
2013-14 | 68 |
2014-15 | 60 |
2015-16 | 66 |
2016-17 | 64 |
2017-18 | 72 |
2018-19 | 48 |
The Mail's report also notes that Messi has single-handedly outscored the entire Valencia team in La Liga this season despite missing almost a month with a fractured arm, and has also now scored 50 goals in a calendar year for the ninth consecutive year.
Not bad for the fifth best player in the world!
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He has led Barcelona to the top of La Liga through 16 games as well as helping them comfortably progress through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, going through their whole group stage campaign unbeaten.
He certainly staking his claim for being the best player in the world once again, and with these kind of numbers it's very hard to argue against that.
