You've all heard the expression: "don't judge a book by its cover." This phrase applies to soccer players more than any other athletes. In soccer, it's not all about the numbers. There has been a lot of skepticism (mainly criticism) from media around the world about how the great Lionel Messi hasn't scored in multiple games. This criticism is unnecessary.
Messi breaks records left and right, and will probably continue to do so until he retires. Recently, the Argentine superstar has not put concrete numbers on the board for his Catalan crew as he so often does. However, his assists have been an incredible sight to see.
Wednesday's match against Levante in the Copa del Rey is a perfect example of how
Messi is still the top of the top for Barcelona. The man of the match was Christian Tello for his hat trick, but look at where each of his goals originated from: Messi. With a vision for the game unlike any other player, the 'Pulga' finds perfect and unexpected passes to his teammates. The combination of Messi and Tello that day was absolutely breathtaking. From through balls to aerial balls, Messi slotted all kinds of passes to Tello, and he did not disappoint.
Sunday's match against Malaga proved Messi's worth to the club yet again. With a 3-0 victory at the Camp Nou, Messi was named man of the match. Opening up spaces, pulling defenders, and most importantly assisting his teammates was just half of what the little Argentine did. Fans on FC Barcelona's Facebook page named him man of the match almost immediately. The 2-0 came with a beautiful through ball from Messi to Pedro; Pedro did not disappoint and slipped it right past the goalie.
It is always important to see what's behind all of the numbers. Look past the numbers and you'll see something more to appreciate in every player on the field. The best player in the world doesn't win a Balon D'Or just because he scored the most goals, but is looked at for what he contributed to his team. Messi is no leader, but he is definitely indispensable to FC Barcelona.
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