‘Annus horribilis’ of Argentine maestro Leo Messi

Leo Messi’s Annus Horribilis

One year, four injuries and continued headaches for problems that do not want to disappear is what Messi has had to put up with so far. It all began on 2nd April at the Parc des Princes against PSG when Messi picked up a hamstring problem. He finished the season as he could and face the summer months with renewed hope. After many summers giving his all in the Olympic games, World cup and Copa America, Messi finally had time to rest and recover. The sporting calendar finally offered the Argentine some respite.

However, Messi began to feel discomfort during the Asian tour of Barcelona’s pre-season. Soon after, in the first leg of the Spanish Supercup against Atletico Madrid, Messi’s hamstring problem achieved what no defense has been able to do in recent years: stop him in his tracks. In late September against Almería, confirmation came that something was wrong with the Argentine’s recovery. The fourth injury came last Sunday in Seville against Real Betis. And it amounted to what many Barca fans have been fearing for several months. Messi will have to stop, for his sake, because both Barca and Argentina will need him in the best possible shape for the decisive moments of 2014.

Messi’s worst record in recent years
It is definitely not the year of Messi. Unless deadlines are shortened, the Argentine will close off this year with 42 goals under his belt. It’s a real turning point in the Argentine’s upward trend of recent years. In 2012 he smashed all records with 90 goals in a single calendar year. Even ‘Torpedo’ Müller became part of the wide range of illustrious players to be overcome by Leo Messi.

In 2010 and 2011, Messi scored the same number of goals: 58. Those were years in which Messi had an indisputable immunity against injuries. His immunity has disappeared this season and will no doubt be remembered as one of the toughest of his career.