Sunday, 18th November, 2012
Lionel Messi stands just seven goals behind legendary German striker Gerd Muller’s record for the number of goals in a calendar year.
Muller found the net an astonishing 85 times in 1972, establishing a record which has stood ever since.
However, Messi is closing in on Muller and the brace he netted in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over Real Zaragoza on Saturday moved him up to 78 for the year so far.
Messi has already surpassed Brazilian icon Pele, who himself managed 75 in a calendar year.
Now the Argentine is turning his attention to surging past Muller and he needs another eight goals to do it.
With Barcelona still having another five La Liga games, one Copa del Rey clash and two further Champions League matches before the end of 2012, making a total of eight games, Messi only needs to hit an average of one goal per game to surpass Muller.
Messi could also win the 2012 Ballon d’Or, which would be his fourth consecutive accolade and, along with breaking the record for the number of goals in a calendar year, would make for a 12 months to remember.
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Barcelona are next in action in Russia, when they face Spartak Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
After that they travel to face Levante in La Liga.
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