By PETE JENSON.
Lionel Messi extended his five-month scoring run to 19 games to became the first player ever to score in consecutive matches against every other team in the division.
The Argentine scored in Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo to take his La Liga tally to 43 for this season with nine games left of the campaign.
Messi has now scored 30 goals in the last 19 matches.
In the equivalent of an entire half-season, he has delivered match after match, scoring against all opponents.
It was on November 3 last year that he last failed to score - at home to Celta Vigo - a game played less than 24 hours after his partner, Antonella Ruccuzzo, had given birth to their son, Thiago.
Messi played 90 minutes in the 3-1 victory that night, but there was to be no special goal dedicated to the new born. He has made up for it since.
On eight occasions he has scored twice and in a 5-1 win over Osasuna at the end of January he scored four. With this latest strike, he is now on course to shatter the half-century of league goals he clocked up last season.
With 10 games left last season he had scored 33 goals - with nine games left now he is already on 43 and homing in on last season's record-breaking 91 in all competitions in a calendar year.
Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura said: 'The fact that no one has ever done this before shows just how difficult it is. Only with the passing of time will we realise just how incredible his achievements have been.'
Messi, 25, started as captain, despite being sick on the pitch in Argentina's midweek draw against Bolivia in the high-altitude conditions of La Paz.
But with both Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez rested ahead of Barcelona's trip to Paris in the Champions League on Tuesday, Messi was starved of service.
He went down under a challenge from Vadim Demidov but referee Mateu Lahoz waved away penalty appeals.
Barcelona struggled in defence, with on-loan Arsenal striker Park Chu-Young causing problems for young centre-back Marc Bartra and only a fine double save from Jose Pinto kept out the home side after a mistake by Gerard Pique.
On 39 minutes, Barcelona fell behind when Fabian Orellana crossed for Natxo Insa to score. Messi saw a free-kick saved by Javi Varas, but two minutes before the break he turned provider for Cristian Tello to net.
It was Messi's 10th assist of the season - only Real Madrid's Mesut Ozil has managed more - but it was a goal he needed for the record and it came on 73 minutes.
In front of the penalty area, he fizzed the ball out wide to Tello and when the youngster played it back to him first time, Messi finished past Varas.
A late equaliser from Borja Oubina two minutes from time prevented Barcelona from taking all three points but Messi at least had his incredible record.
Boss Tito Vilanova is expected to travel with the squad after his return from New York, where he was having cancer treatment. 'It's a massive boost,' said Roura.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2301633/Lionel-Messi-breaks-record-completing-stunning-scoring-circle-La-Liga-team.html
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