It’s incredibly rare to find one of the established stars of world football at odds against to score a goal in a European tie that to all intents and purposes is already won.
Yet that is precisely the case with Lionel Messi as Barcelona travel to Liverpool with a very healthy 3-0 aggregate advantage in the Champions League semi-finals.
Betfred go a standout 6/5 price on Messi being an anytime goalscorer, and remember he bagged a second half brace in the Nou Camp that has helped the Catalan giants take firm command of this tie.
There is nothing new to say about the Argentina icon that you, or anyone who has even taken a casual interest in football over the last decade, hasn’t heard already.
Messi has scored 112 Champions League goals in 134 appearances to date. He has struck 600 times in his Barca career and, at 31, isn’t done yet either.
He’s on course to score 50 or more goals in a sixth difference season for the club he captains. There are no superlatives to describe the goal machine that is Messi.
Hosts could be open in search of goals themselves
Given Liverpool, who must attack at Anfield if they want to have any chance of turning around that three-goal deficit, are without forward duo Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah, they look to have a mountain to climb.
Messi, meanwhile, was rested at the weekend as Barcelona have already wrapped up yet another La Liga title and has 48 goals in 46 games across all competitions this term.
That sublime tally includes a March hat-trick at Real Betis and another treble in the same city the previous month against Sevilla.
As Messi also scored twice at Wembley in the Champions League group stage and got a couple in home leg over the Reds, it looks a hopeless task for Jurgen Klopp and his defenders to keep him out despite home advantage.
Putting arguably the greatest footballer up at odds against to find the net is a big risk, and one you could well profit from should Messi kill the tie.
Bet of the Day: 6/5 with Betfred, Lionel Messi anytime goalscorer in Liverpool v Barcelona.
