Astonishing

That’s the only word for it. The Argentine home-based selección may be playing later tonight, but one of the ex-pat contingent has overshadowed them somewhat already. Barcelona played their King’s Cup semi-final first leg today against Getafe, and Lio Messi chipped in with two goals and an assist. The hosts won 5-2, but the statistics weren’t what made the headlines.

The first of Messi’s goals was one of the most incredible ever witnessed in the competition’s history, as he ran from inside Barça’s half, beating five outfield players (leaving three sprawled on their backsides) then the goalkeeper before slotting home. It’s already, mere hours later, been compared with Diego Maradona’s second goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, which Argentines seem to think was also quite good.