Lionel Messi will tonight achieve an extraordinary feat for Barcelona, drawing level with another club legend at the top of the all-time appearance rankings.
It feels as though Messi has been around since time began, so it’s no surprise that, considering he’s spent his entire career to date at Barcelona, he’s set to be their leading appearance maker.
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At current, it’s the great Xavi, who has since retired and turned to management in the far east, who tops the rankings. Tonight, though, as Barcelona take to the field against Heusca, Messi will join him on the podium.
Histórico de jugadores con más partidos en el Barcelona: 15/3/21
1 Messi 767
2 Xavi 767
3 Iniesta 674
4 Busquets 617
5 Puyol 593
6 Piqué 558
7 Migueli 549
8 Víctor Valdés 535
9 Rexach 449
10 Amor 421 pic.twitter.com/z17i3zX8TE— Alfredo Martínez (@Alfremartinezz) March 15, 2021
Regardless of whether he extends his contract at the end of the season, you can be sure that, barring a career-ending injury sustained tonight, Messi will be the outright leader further down the line.
By the time he calls time on his Barcelona career, you wonder if there’s going to be a single record left that he hasn’t broken.