Lionel Messi has never scored against Chelsea

He’s only three goals away from joining the Champions League 100 club, but Lionel Messi will have to do something he’s never done before to get there in the next two games – score against Chelsea.

In eight meetings between 2006 and 2012, Messi failed to find the back of the net in 655 minutes on the pitch against the Blues.

The closest he came – their last clash in the 2012 semi-final – was striking the bar from the penalty spot, a moment that ended up costing Barca a place in the final.

Lionel Messi has never scored in eight meetings with Chelsea in the Champions League

The Argentine hit the bar from the penalty spot in their last meeting six years ago

The Argentine hit the bar from the penalty spot in their last meeting six years ago

It would have put Barcelona 3-1 up on the night, and ahead on aggregate with 40 minutes left to play against their 10-man opponents after John Terry’s sending off.

As it was, Messi fluffed his lines, Chelsea held firm and Fernando Torres sent Gary Neville wild. The rest, is history. 

He has the chance to finally banish that memory when Barca visit Stamford Bridge for the first time in six years on Tuesday, but the weight of history is against Messi. 

The Argentine’s duck against Chelsea has become a hoodoo. He hasn’t played against a Champions League opponent more, facing AC Milan and PSG eight times also.

Messi's record against Chelsea is by far his worst against any opponents in Europe

Messi’s record against Chelsea is by far his worst against any opponents in Europe

Messi dribbles with the ball as Ashley Cole tries to keep up with him in the 2009 semi-final

Messi dribbles with the ball as Ashley Cole tries to keep up with him in the 2009 semi-final

The Argentine is surrounded by John Terry, John Obi Mikel and Michael Ballack in the first leg

The Argentine is surrounded by John Terry, John Obi Mikel and Michael Ballack in the first leg

Who has Messi scored against in UEFA competition?
Opponents by club Games Minutes Goals Minutes 
AC Milan 8 720 8 90m
APOEL 2 180 3 60m
Ajax 3 247 6 41m10s
Arsenal 6 447 9 49m40s
Atlético 4 360
Basel 2 120 2 60m
BATE 1 90 2 45m
Bayern 5 450 4 112m30s
Benfica 2 122
Bremen 2 49 1 49m
Celtic 6 488 8 61m
Chelsea 8 655
Dynamo Kiev 2 180 2 90m
Inter Milan  3 270
Juventus 5 394 2 197m
Copenhagen  2 180 3 60m
Leverkusen 3 270 7 38m34s
Liverpool 2 180
Lyon 4 358 3 119m20s
Manchester City 6 540 6 90m
Manchester United      4 332 2 166m
Monchengladbach 1 90 1 90m
Olympiacos 2 180 1 180m
Panathinaikos 4 293 4 73m25s
Paris Saint-Germain 8 614 4 153m30s
Plzen 2 180 3 60m
Porto 1 90 1 90m
Rangers 2 180 1 180m
Real Madrid        2 180 2 90m
Roma 2 180 2 90m
Rubin Kazan 4 237
Sevilla 2 210 2 105m
Shakhtar 5 420 3 140m
Spartak Moscow 2 180 4 45m
Sporting Lisbon 4 266 1 266m
Stuttgart 3 270 3 90m
Udinese 1 70
TOTAL 125 10272 100 102m43s

But against PSG he averages a goal every 90 minutes, and one just a shade over every 150 against the Italians.

Chelsea aren’t alone in keeping Messi off the scoresheet, though no team has proved anywhere near as successful. 

The 30-year-old has also failed to score against Atletico and Rubin Kazan four times, Benfica and Liverpool twice, and in one appearance against Udinese.

While he hates the sight of Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen bring out the best in him. He averages a goal every 38 minutes against the German side, scoring seven times in 270 minutes.

Messi clashes with midfielder Claude Makelele during a group stage match in October 2006

Messi clashes with midfielder Claude Makelele during a group stage match in October 2006

Messi's first appearance on English soil at Stamford Bridge in February 2006 set pulses racing

Messi’s first appearance on English soil at Stamford Bridge in February 2006 set pulses racing

Ajax come a close second, conceding one every 41 minutes, Messi having scored six times in 247 minutes.

While Chelsea have proved adept at stopping Messi, he remains prolific against English opposition. He is scored 17 times in 26 games against Premier League clubs – more than any other league.

But German teams are made to feel like a punchbag more than any other nation he is regularly pitted against. He averages one every 70 minutes, with 16 in just 14 appearances against the best of the Bundesliga. 

If Chelsea can keep him out for a further 180 minutes over the next month, Messi may begin to think fate is acting against him.

Which nations’ clubs has Messi scored against? 
Opponents by nationality Games Minutes Goals Minutes
Belarus 1 90 2 45m
Cyprus 2 180 3 60m
Czech Republic 2 180 3 60m
Denmark 2 180 3 60m
England 26 2154 17 126m42s
France 12 972 7 138m51s
Germany 14 1129 16 70m34s
Greece 6 473 5 94m36s
Italy 19 1634 12 136m10s
Holland  3 247 6 41m10s
Portugal 7 478 2 239m
Russia 6 417 4 104m15s
Scotland 8 668 9 74m20s
Spain 8 750 4 187m30s
Switzerland 2 120 2 60m
Ukraine 7 600 5 120m
TOTAL 125 10272 100 102m43s



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