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Lionel Messi's Career Against Real Madrid In Numbers And Moving Pictures

Lionel Messi will face Real Madrid for the 46th time in his career on Tuesday night. Relive his previous encounters as we delve into the video archives.

Robert Summerscales

Lionel Messi's Career Against Real Madrid In Numbers And Moving Pictures
Lionel Messi's Career Against Real Madrid In Numbers And Moving Pictures /

Lionel Messi will face Real Madrid for the 46th time in his career on Tuesday night.

But it will be the first time he has ever played against Real for anyone other than Barcelona.

Messi has not been at his prolific best for Paris Saint-Germain this season, scoring just twice in Ligue 1, though he has netted five goals in five Champions League games.

But history tells us he has every chance of delivering on the big stage when Real visit Paris.

In his 45 previous meetings with Real as a Barca player, Messi scored 26 times and provided 14 assists.

He was on the winning side in 19 of those 45 games, losing 15 and drawing 11.

Messi has never been sent off against Real, but he picked up 14 yellow cards in Clasicos.

The date was November 19, 2005 when Messi faced Real for the first time. He made an instant impact too, assisting Samuel Eto'o in a 3-0 win at the Bernabeu.

Messi's first goal against Real came two years later when he scored a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw at the Nou Camp.

That was not his only Clasico hat-trick. Fast-forward to March 2014 when another trio of Messi goals helped Barca win 4-3 at the Bernabeu.

His most famous ever Bernabeu goal probably came in 2017 when he scored a late winner before holding up his shirt in front of the home fans.

Lionel Messi holds up his Barcelona shirt in front of Real Madrid fans after scoring at the Bernabeu in 2017
Lionel Messi holds up his Barcelona shirt in front of Real Madrid fans after scoring in 2017 :: IMAGO/Alterphotos

Most of Messi's Clasico appearances came in La Liga - 29 in total.

But Tuesday's game will not be the first time he has faced Real in the Champions League.

In fact one of Messi's most famous goals ever came in the UCL against Real.

Back in 2011, Barca beat Real 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the European Cup after Messi bagged a brilliant brace in the first leg in Madrid.

Messi's final goal against Real in the colors of Barca came in May 2018 in a 2-2 draw.

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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.