Messi one game away from equaling Xavi Hernández' historic record
A new historic record for Leo Messi is approaching, and it's an important one. He is only one game away from being the footballer with the most ever appearances for FC Barcelona. If he plays against Huesca, it will be Messi's 767th game with Barça, matching the legendary Xavi Hernández.
As of Monday, no player will have worn the Barça shirt on more occasions. The Argentine has been, for years, the player with the most trophies (34) and most goals (658) in Barça history, among many other records.
Six competitions, 766 matches
The 766 games played so far by Leo Messi are divided into a total of six different competitions. La Liga is the competition with the most matches, with Messi playing a total of 509 in the Spanish top flight. As for the Champions League, he has played 149 games, while 79 have come in in the Copa del Rey, 20 in the Spanish Super Cup, five in the Club World Cup and four in the European Super Cup.
No place like home
Of these 766 games, a total of 375 have been at the Camp Nou, while 372 have been away fixtures. He has also played 19 games at neutral venues. Of these matches, he has won 535, drawn 140 and lost 91.
If we break down Messi's appearances by seasons, the campaign where he played the most games (60) was 2011/12, followed by the 2014/15 season (57), 2010/11 (55) and 2009/10 (53).
Real Madrid the most frequent opponents
The opposition against whom he has played the most games are Real Madrid with 44, followed by Sevilla (43), Atlético Madrid (42), Athletic Club (40), Espanyol and Valencia ( 35).
From one legend to another
Xavi Hernández set his record five-and-a-half years ago, in the last of his 17 seasons with the club. Along the way, he won 27 trophies with FC Barcelona, in a club career that began on August 18, 1998.
He now makes way for one of his most prolific former teammates, with whom he linked up during a highly successful period in club history. Leo Messi is now FC Barcelona's all-time appearance record holder.