Stat of the day: 46 | Leo Messi free kicks

Leo Messi is the ultimate all round footballer. Over the years he has honed his skill from free kicks and has become one of the best in the world at this particular facet of the game. In a Barça shirt he has scored 46 goals from free kicks plus another 10 for the Argentinian national team. 

Let's take a look at the 52 goals Messi has scored from free kicks: 

His favourite victims

Espanyol fill top spot with Messi having scored 6 free kicks against Barça's city rivals. Next come Sevilla and Athletic Club (5), Atlético Madrid, Celta (3). Deportivo, Real Madrid, Almeria, Betis, Villarreal and Alavés (2).

A challenge still to be met 

One of the few achievements Messi is yet to fulfil is to score a hat-trick of free kicks. He came close against Sevilla in the final of the UEFA Super Cup in 2015 with two in the famous 5-4 win. The Argentine scored two free kicks also in December 2018 in the 4-0 win against Espanyol and in the 4-1 win against Celta Vigo in November 2019.