Messi within one goal of yet another record

A solitary goal this season will make it 15 consecutive LaLiga campaigns finding the net since he made his debut for the club during the 2003/04 season.

So date, no other player in the 21st century can claim to have achieved the feat, thus once again marking Messi out among the greatest players to have graced Spanish football.

Whatsmore, if Messi manages to get Barca's opening goal of the campaign, he will also claim the honour of scoring the club's 6,000th LaLiga goal.

With Cristiano Ronaldo having now departed there is no doubt whatsover that LaLiga is Messi's playground.

Messi will be looking to fire his side to another league title this season to claim what would be the sixth Golden Boot of his career, but for now he won't be looking any further than the visit of Alaves on Saturday night and the potential to make yet more history.