Lionel Messi’s struggles from the penalty spot continued Saturday.
Fortunately for Barcelona, he happens to be the best player in the world everywhere else in the attacking third.
Messi scored his 350th La Liga goal, nearly 70 more than Cristiano Ronaldo for second-place all-time and almost 100 ahead of third-place Telmo Zarra, who held the record for more than 50 years.
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Here’s the PK, as Messi absolutely telegraphed the destination of this one and Fernando Pacheco received the message.
MESSI DENIED! Rodrigo Ely called for pulling @3gerardpique down in the box. @TeamMessi penalty is SAVED! #AlavesBarca pic.twitter.com/oU0YZiMdrb
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017
Messi then had a deflected offering give him goal No. 350, and then pounced on a turnover to lash a low shot home with venom for No. 351.
GOOOOAAAAL: Lionel Messi scores the 350th goal of his incredible @LaLigaEN career! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 #AlavesBarca pic.twitter.com/2LpOrQdyz8
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017
GOOOOAAAAL: Make that 351 #LaLiga goals for Messi! @FCBarcelona in control now, up 2-0. #AlavesBarca pic.twitter.com/U2Fz0F3S8W
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017