Leo Messi v Gerard Moreno: Head to head

There’s a cracking game on the way at the Estadio de la Cerámica (Sunday at 4.15 pm CEST). FC Barcelona visit seventh-placed Villarreal in an encounter that also brings together two of the most in-form strikers in Europe: Leo Messi and Gerard Moreno.

The Argentinian has 25 goals in his account, but the Catalonia-born star of the Yellow Submarine isn’t far short of that tally with 20.

Let’s take a closer look at their stats this season and in previous encounters.

This season

Leo Messi
Games: 29
Goals: 25 (3 penalties)
Assists: 9
Shots on goal: 80
Participation in team’s goals: 34 out of 73 (46.5%)

Gerard Moreno
Games: 27
Goals: 20 (9 penalties)
Assists: 5
Shots on goal: 43
Participation in team’s goals: 25 out of 51 (51%)

Moreno is Villarreal’s highest scorer since the 2004/05 season, when Diego Forlán scored 25.

Head to head

Leo Messi
Wins against Villarreal: 16 (plus 5 draws and 2 defeats)
Goals against Villarreal: 15 (including in the 4-0 win at Camp Nou earlier this season

Gerard Moreno
Wins against Barça: 0 (5 defeats and 1 draw with Espanyol and 3 defeats and 1 draw with Villarreal)
Goals against Barça: 2 (the 1-1 as an Espanyol player in 2017/18 and the 4-1 defeat as a Villarreal player in 2019/20).