With two goals in FC Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Elche, Lionel Messi is now atop La Liga’s top scorer chart. Messi now has 18 goals, two more than his friend and former teammate, Luis Suárez.
Atlético Madrid do have a game in hand however, so Suárez still has plenty of chances to catch Messi. But Messi is the one in form right now, as Suárez hasn’t scored in any of the past three La Liga matches, while Messi has five in his last three league meetings.
In fact, Messi has scored in all seven of his past La Liga games, and nine of the past 10.
Messi is the all-time leader in winning the top scorer award, the Pichichi Trophy. He has won it seven times, with Telmo Zarra in second place with six.
The Argentine has won it each of the past four seasons, something that only Hugo Sánchez has done.
Messi would move to eight wins overall and five in a row with another win.
Interestingly, the last person to win the trophy who is not Messi was Suárez, who at the time was Messi’s teammate.