Barça equal LaLiga all-time unbeaten streak with Leganés win

Barcelona have equalled LaLiga's all-time record of 38 matches unbeaten after Lionel Messi inspired their 3-1 victory over Leganés on Saturday.

Barcelona go 38 unbeaten

Real Sociedad initially set the record in May 1980, with their run starting 13 months earlier.

But Barcelona stand on the brink of surpassing them after extending their incredible streak at Camp Nou, with Ernesto Valverde's men continuing their surge towards the league title.

Messi fittingly marked the occasion with a hat-trick, finding the net twice in the first half - including a glorious free-kick - before rounding out the scoring in the 87th minute.

Barça last suffered defeat in LaLiga way back on April 8 2017, when they travelled to Málaga and succumbed to a 2-0 loss - former academy player Sandro Ramárez and Jony Menendez got the goals, as Neymar was dismissed for the Catalans.

There have been no such shocks so far this term, however, with Barça cruising towards the title.

Barcelona numbers more impressive than La Real

Although La Real managed to set the unbeaten record, Barça's is rather more impressive for a host of reasons.

First of all, their haul of 31 wins in that period is 10 better than the Basque side, while they have also scored a whopping 46 more goals.

Barça's top scorer over their 38 games has - unsurprisingly - been Messi with 39, ably supported by Luis Suarez's 27-goal haul.

By comparison, La Real's most prolific attacker at the time of setting the record was former Spain international Jesús Maria Satrustegui with 21. Roberto López Ufarte backed him up with 11.

But there is one area where Barça have not been able to match up to La Real, and that is defensively, conceding three more than the record-setters.

Barça, who ironically began their unbeaten run with a 3-2 win over La Real on April 15 last year, can set a new record at home to Valencia next Saturday.