Lionel Messi leads the LaLiga Pichichi top scorers table
Lionel Messi dominated against Celta Vigo as he scored two and assisted two more and drives on in his race for another Pichichi.
Updated 04/03/2017
Messi magic enough to see Barça retake lead atop LaLiga
Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled out of Real Madrid's match with a minor knock, which gave Lionel Messi the chance to build a lead at the top of the Pichichi topscorers table. He did just that by scoring two against a rather feeble Celta Vigo side. Iaso Aspas tried and tried but could not score against Barcelona and keep his three game-scoring streak going. Luis Suarez looked annoyed not to have scored either and it is Messi who marches on in the race for Pichichi.
All of the top four Pichichi candidates on target
Lionel Messi got the goalscoring started on Wednesday night as he headed Barcelona into an early lead on their way to a thorough victory over Sporting Gijón. Iago Aspas was next up as he put Celta Vigo ahead before Luis Suarez vollied home to increase his tally this year too. Ronaldo would leave it very late at the Bernabeu as he struck twice, from the penalty spot and with his head, to give Real Madrid a late draw against Las Palmas.
Messi strike downs Atletico as Barça go top of the league
Lionel Messi slotted underneath Jan Oblak to give Barcelona all three points at the Calderon on Sunday, February 26th, but he also nudged himself further in front of Luis Suarez as he has now scored five goals in his last four games. They all just happen to be Barcelona victories too.
Luis Suarez was left without a goal for the second game in a row and Cristiano Ronaldo plays on Sunday night against Villarreal.
Messi goes ahead of teammate Luis Suaréz with two against Leganés
Lionel Messi scored early on against Leganés and then secured all three points with a late penalty to go ahead of Luis Suaréz in the race for the Pichichi this season. The Argentine has 19 goals now, which is one better than Suaréz as the pair separate themselves from the group.
Cristiano Ronaldo failed to notch a goal against Espanyol at the weekend while Iago Aspas scored during Celta Vigo's win over Osasuna. Willian Jose remains out injured for Real Sociedad, who lost to Villarreal in the early game on Sunday.
Pichichi a two-horse race with Suárez and Messi out in front
Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez were on the scoresheet against Alavés during their 0-6 rout of their fellow Copa del Rey finalists meaning the Uruguayan now leads the Pichichi trophy standings on 18 goals, ahead of his teammate Messi, who has 17. Cristiano Ronaldo moved to 14 league goals for the season as Real Madrid beat Osasuna 3-1 in El Sadar on Saturday night.
The two Barcelona players remain neck-and-neck in their quest to be top scorer in LaLiga and while Messi could have had another, it was actually Alexis who knocked the ball into his own net for Barça's fourth on Saturday. Suárez opened the scoring with a tap-in from an Aleix Vidal cross and landed a piledriver from close range to wrap up the scoring on the day.
Other candidates
Cristiano Ronaldo was on the scoresheet against Osasuna and could have had another but was denied from some wonderful reflex keeping from the home side's stopper, Salvatore Sirigu. It would be folly to suggest that Ronaldo is out of the running as he has the ability to score three or four on any given day but provided Suárez remains in his current form, he will be the favourite to collect his second Pichichi in as many years come May.
Race for Pichichi
1. Lionel Messi (23)
2. Luis Suarez (19)
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (17)
4. Iago Aspas (14)
5. Willian Jose (9)