Lionel Messi returns to Champions League action tonight looking to add his truly remarkable career statistics in Europe’s elite competition.
The Argentine magician will lead Barcelona’s attack in their Round of 16 first-leg tie away to Ligue 1 outfit Lyon.
This season, Messi has six goals in just four games and is only behind Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski as the tournament’s leading marksman.
The 31-year-old will be looking to add to that tally this evening and increase his stunning record in the Champions League.
Lionel Messi: Champions League record
Messi has scored 106 goals in 129 games in Europe to add to his 405 goals in 440 LaLiga games.
The forward is second only to old rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the all-time Champions League top scorers list with the Portuguese having bagged 121 times.
But Messi has netted his haul in fewer matches and has a ratio of 0.82 goals to games compared to Ronaldo’s 0.77.
Third in the standings is Real Madrid legend Raul with the Spaniard having scored 71 times in his illustrious career.
Messi has struck double figures in the Champions League on four occasions including a remarkable 14 goals in the 2011/12 season.
He has also won the competition four times with his last success coming in 2015 when Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 in the final in Berlin.
Lionel Messi: Is he better than Cristiano Ronaldo?
The age-old question of modern football has been who is better; Messi or Ronaldo.
Both have enjoyed glittering careers and have dominated the European scoring charts for well over a decade now.
But former Barca striker Gary Lineker insists Messi is on a ‘different level’ to anyone else in world football.
He told talkSPORT: “He’s just phenomenal. He’s 31 now and he’s still going strong. He plays the game in a way the rest of us are not familiar with.
“I watch a lot of football, and people pine on this whole Messi vs Ronaldo debate; there’s no comparison for me. Messi is on a different level to everybody else, it’s as simple as that.
“People say to me what about Ronaldo’s goalscoring record and so forth.
“But I say to them have you seen Messi pass a football? Have you seen him dribble towards goal?
“The all-round joy he brings to football is what I love about him.”
Lionel Messi: Catch him in action in Lyon vs Barcelona
Messi’s Barcelona take on Lyon in the Champions League this evening and there will be live coverage on talkSPORT 2.
To tune into the big match simply click here.