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The Argentine broke one of Pelé’s records in a 3-0 win at Real Valladolid, but his bonding game with a teenage teammate was more relevant
It was a good moment for Barcelona.
Lionel Messi entered the area before coldly passing the ball over Jordi Masip and into the back of the Real Valladolid net. He made history, again: 644 goals for the same club, one more than the great Pelé achieved for Santos.
How many more will follow? It’s hard to tell. Messi’s future in Barcelona remains a mystery.
As revealed in a momentous interview with objective in September he wanted to go out in the summer, disgusted by the way in which Josep Maria Bartomeu had sunk the Catalan club.
Since then, Bartomeu has been sent off, of course, and Messi admitted earlier this week that he had put his frustration and disappointment behind him.
“Today I’m fine and I want to seriously fight for everything that lies ahead,” he told Jordi Evole.
He certainly didn’t look like a man who had lost his motivation in Tuesday night’s 3-0 win at Valladolid. Messi was once again an integral part of everything positive that Barça produced.
He had 11 shots on target, seven of which hit home. He only scored once, but the post only denied him a double in the final seconds. However, there were also three key passes going through and probing all night.
Midway through the first half, he set up Clement Lenglet for the first half before showing off his incredible vision and outrageous passing ability by unleashing excellent Sergino Dest to cross for Martin Braithwaite, who made it 2-0 in the 35th minute.
Messi’s record-breaking goal, then, simply capped off what was a good performance in every way for a Barca team that seemed better balanced and more solid on defense in a 3-4-3 formation.
However, what was arguably most significant about that second-half goal from Barcelona’s perspective was Messi’s reaction.
He didn’t run off to enjoy his own glory. He immediately turned and pointed to the supplier, Pedri, who had put Messi in the goal with a sublime heel.
It was a well deserved recognition for a player who simply continues to amaze. Of course, one is always reluctant to put too much pressure on a player who only turned 18 a month ago, but the child can play.
It’s small, it’s thin, but it doesn’t matter, not when you can read the game like that. As Lenglet said later: “Pedri does not have the physique of a high-level athlete, so he plays with his head.”
Also in every way. Not only is he smart, he’s also composed. He made more key passes (five) against Valladolid than anyone.
Barça really do seem to have a generational talent on their hands, the kind of player around whom a new team could be built.
For now, though, it’s great to see him learn from and bond with Messi, who, tellingly, seems to have real affection and affiliation with his teenage teammate.
The Argentine only further cemented his place in Barcelona’s history on Tuesday night, but, amid all the nightmare and sadness at Camp Nou, Pedri offers hope for a better future.
Perhaps Messi also thinks so. Perhaps that point was not only a good moment for Barça. Maybe it could also be important …
