Barcelona talisman, Lionel Messi has won the La Liga Pichcichi award for the seventh time. The Pichichi is is the goalscorer highest goalscorer of the league award.
- 19 of Messi’s 25 goals have come at the Camp Nou with six away from home. Five were direct free-kicks.
- This is s his fourth consecutive top scorer award.
- He equaled the feat of Mexican striker, Hugo Sanchez. He first did so with Atlético Madrid (1984/85) and the following three seasons with Real Madrid (1985/86, 1986/87 and 1987/88).
- This is the third consecutive season that he will finish as the top scorer and assist provider in the league.
Messi scored a double in the 5-0 capitulation of Deportivo Alaves, to finish the league season with 25 goals to top the goal scorer chat. After equalling the record of Athletic Bilbao great Telmo Zarra of six awards last season, the six-times world footballer of the year has now surpassed him after another superb campaign in front of goal.
Messi set assist records too
Apart from winning the goalscorer award, Messi, who also topped the assist table also set a new record.
He has beaten the record set by the club’s legend, Xavi Hernandez. Messi’s cross to Ansu Fati for the opening goal saw beat the record for most assists (21) in a single La Liga campaign, but it was not enough to guide Barca to a third consecutive title.
The new winners, Real Madrid played a thrilling 2-2 draw with Leganes away from home.
Speaking on his achievement, the Argentine captain reiterated that the awards and individual goals are secondary to the team’s overall achievement. He added that he would have been happy if he won it with the league title.
“It is true that it could have been taken as an important achievement for being the seventh Pichichi, but I would have liked it to come accompanied by the league title.
Behind Messi on the goalscoring chart is Madrid striker Karim Benzema with 21 while Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno was third with 18 goals, two ahead of Messi’s Barca team-mate Luis Suarez.
After the league has been decided, next for Barcelona is the Champions League. They will be welcoming Napoli to the Camo Nou in the second leg of their last-16 tie on August 8. The first leg ended in a 1-1.
