Lionel Messi breaks Champions’ League record
Lionel Messi chips in the first of his five goals last night.
UPDATE: UEFA has taken down the YouTube video linked to in this post. I call that an own goal.
We celebrate genius and special talent across Europe in this blog whether artistic (as in my take last week on the David Hockney exhibition at London's Royal Academy) or sporting.
And there is no genius in world football like Barcelona's Lionel Messi at the moment.
Last night, in a Champion's League quarter-final he put five goals past German side Bayer Leverkusen.
No one has ever scored five in a Champions' League match before.
The little Argentine is just 24 and pretty clearly the best player to come along since his countryman, Diego Maradona. Messi is a different kind of character though, more in control of himself, and as you watch the video you will see he is not averse to using a bit of savage cheekiness in the various ways he scores.
Even if you are not a fan, take a moment to watch: anyone with an appreciation for artistry will be thrilled.