Cristiano Ronaldo could still retain the crown of scoring more Champions League goals than anyone else. But it is Lionel Messi, who jointly holds the record for the most goals scored in a single game – five.
However, the Argentine’s record was put at risk last week when Erling Haaland scored five goals in Manchester City’s 7-0 crushing victory over RB Leipzig.
Speaking after an FA Cup win over Burnley, Pep Guardiola confirmed he substituted Haaland in the Leipzig game to prevent him from breaking Messi’s record.
“I replaced him so he wouldn’t break Messi’s record” Guardiola said after the victory over Burnley, where Haaland scored three goals again.
The hat-trick against Burnley took Haaland’s total to 42 goals in all competitions, equaling Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally at Manchester United when he won the Ballon d’Or.
The Norwegian is closing in on Mohamed Salah and Ruud van Nistelrooy’s total of 44 goals in all competitions in the Premier League. His ultimate achievement, however, will be to reach 60 goals and reach Dixie Dean’s record of the 1920s.
Lionel Messi, meanwhile, saw his Champions League adventures come to an end after Paris Saint-Germain lost to Bayern Munich in the Round of 16.
With ongoing speculation over his future, it will be interesting to see whether or not the Argentine will play in the UCL next season, especially with Saudi clubs looking to entice him with a lucrative contract offer.
Messi, however, is expected to stay in Europe for at least a year, with an extended stay at PSG as the most likely scenario, despite interest from Barcelona.
