The Clubs Lionel Messi Has Scored the Most Goals Against

Since netting his first Barcelona goal all the way back in 2005, Lionel Messi has simply not stopped scoring.

At the time of writing, of the 77 teams he has faced in his career at Barcelona, Messi has only failed to score against nin; a truly remarkable, and frankly ridiculous, tally.

Scoring for fun has been the six-time Ballon d'Or winner's trademark throughout his career, making the most difficult of chances look effortless against some of the worlds top teams.

Here, 90min looks at the 30 teams who Messi has scored most against in all competitive competitions.

30. Sporting Gijón (6 Goals)

In February 2016, Messi became the first player to ever score 300 La Liga goals, hitting his 300th in a comprehensive 3-1 victory over the team from Asturias.

29. Bayer 04 Leverkusen (7 Goals)

After scoring one goal in Barcelona's 3-1 Champions League away win at Leverkusen in 2012, no one was ready for what Messi had in store in the Round of 16 return leg.

Messi ripped the Germans apart, notching in 5 goals in a crushing 7-1 victory at Camp Nou. Sadly, he only managed one goal in their group game in the 2015/16 Champions League. Disappointing.

28. Real Valladolid CF (7 Goals)

It took Messi four games until he scored against the team from Castile and León, but he has since bagged seven goals in eight appearances against one of La Liga minions.

27. Celtic (8 Goals)

Apart from the famous 2-1 triumph over Barca in the 2012/13 Champions League campaign, facing Messi and co. has generally resulted in a horror show for the Scottish giants.

In his last two games alone, Messi has scored five goals against the Hoops, bringing his total to eight goals in just six games.

26. AC Milan (8 Goals)

Although drawing a blank on all four occasions he has faced Inter, it's an entirely different situation against the Rossoneri.

Messi has racked up eight goals in eight games against one of Serie A's powerhouses, including five in his last three games alone.

25. Arsenal (9 Goals)

Arsenal have never enjoyed facing the Argentine.

Their worst night came in 2010 when Messi showcased his ability by netting four against the Gunners in a 4-1 triumph at Camp Nou.

24. CD Leganés (11 Goals)

Nine games across four La Liga seasons saw Leganés concede 11 goals to Messi.

They may be glad to be back in Segunda División.

23. Deportivo Alavés (11 Goals)

Alavés actually did rather well in their initial encounters with Messi. However, that all changed in February 2017, when Messi led Barça to a 6-0 win, scoring once along the way.

The 2017 season was capped off with a 3-1 victory for Barcelona against Alavés in the Copa del Rey final, and ever since then, the goals have flooded in for the Argentine against the Basque club.

22. Granada CF (12 Goals)

Messi holds a perfect record against the Andalusian's, bagging 12 goals in as many matches.

21. Racing Santander (12 Goals)

Although he scored in his first encounter against Racing Santander, it took until 2008 for Messi to really start punishing the Cantabrian side.

Between the 2008/09 and 2011/12 seasons, Messi licked his lips every time he played Racing, scoring 11 goals in just eight games before they finally dropped out of La Liga in 2012.

20. UD Almería (13 Goals)

Another Segunda División team who in the early 2010s had nightmares every time they faced Messi.

Messi bagged a hat-trick in an 8-0 away win to Almería in November 2010, their worst La Liga defeat in history.

19. Celta Vigo (13 Goals)

Established La Liga side Celta Vigo have had the daunting task of trying to shut out Messi twice a year in the league since the 2012/13 season. They haven't done so well in doing so.

In all competitions, they've let in 13 goals in 18 games, with the six-time world player of the year scoring a hat-trick from set pieces against the Galicians in 2019.

18. Málaga CF (13 Goals)

It was against Málaga in May 2012 that Messi broke Gerd Muller's record of 67 goals in a season.

His third goal of the evening saw him net his 68th goal of the 2011/12 campaign, edging him past the Germans record set in the 1972/73 campaign for Bayern Munich.

Messi would go on to reach 73 goals in total in the 2011/12 season, a truly ludicrous amount of goals.

17. Real Zaragoza (14 Goals)

Messi hasn't faced Zaragoza since 2013, and considering their record against him, they'd probably like to keep that way.

Before they slipped out of La Liga in 2013, Messi put away 13 goals in 13 league games against Los Maños, adding one in the Copa del Rey.

16. RCD Mallorca (16 Goals)

As Messi picked up his sixth Ballon d'Or at Camp Nou in December 2019, little did Real Mallorca know that they were about to play victim to yet another hat-trick (and also be on the receiving end of that backheel by Luis Suárez).

Now back in Segunda División, Mallorca won't have to try and stop Messi any time soon; good job really as they've conceded in their last seven games against him.

15. Real Sociedad (16 Goals)

The Basque club have a topsy-turvy record against the ten-time La Liga champions. Some seasons they've kept out the maestro while in others they've let in goals like water through a sieve.

In all, Messi has tucked away 16 times against La Real.

14. Villarreal CF (16 Goals)

El Submarino Amarillo haven't beaten Messi and Barcelona since 2008, sinking to 19 losses in their last 25 games against the Catalans.

During this dreadful run, Messi has bagged 16 goals, failing to score in only three seasons.

13. Rayo Vallecano (17 Goals)

Ten league games, ten wins and 17 goals.

It's pretty simple: Messi vs Rayo Vallecano is a bit of a goal fest.

12. Getafe CF (19 Goals)

Messi's greatest ever goal was arguably scored against Getafe in a Copa del Rey semi-final, a run that saw him jink past four players and the goalkeeper before slipping the ball into the back of the net.

A near-perfect mirror-image of Diego Maradona's second goal against England at the 1986 World Cup, it is truly a sensation to watch.

11. SD Eibar (20 Goals)

In just 11 games, Messi has put away 20 goals against Eibar, only once failing to find the net against the Basque club.

Seeing out ten wins and a single draw, Eibar make life far too easy for the Argentine.

10. Deportivo de La Coruña (20 Goals)

The last time Barcelona met Deportivo de La Coruña, big things happened.

Messi nabbed a hat-trick in a 4-2 win at the Estadio Municipal de Riazor which won Barça the La Liga title and subsequently relegated La Coruña to the Segunda División.

It was his third hat-trick against the once-mighty Depor, and certainly the one that stings the most.

9. Levante UD (23 Goals)

Valencia's less-successful neighbours Levante haven't exactly enjoyed their games against Messi.

23 goals in 22 games makes them one of Messi's favourites to grab a goal against.

8. Athletic Club (24 Goals)

When you think of Messi vs Athletic, there is only one goal of his 24 against the Basques that come to mind: the opener of the 2015 Copa del Rey final.

Fittingly staged at the Camp Nou, Messi left four players for dead before cutting a tight shot into the bottom corner. The magician at his best.

7. CA Osasuna (25 Goals)

Although failing to score in eight appearances against Osasuna, Messi has more than made up for it with 25 goals in the other 13 games.

It was against Los Rojillos that Messi eclipsed Telmo Zarra's all-time La Liga top goalscorer record in 2014. He's never looked back since.

6. Real Betis (25 Goals)

25 goals in 23 games make Real Betis one of Messi's easiest opponents to see the net ripple against.

It was a 2-1 away at Betis in December 2012 that saw Messi overtake Gerd Müller's record of goals in one calendar year, putting him onto 86 goals at the final whistle. Messi went on to add a further five goals, scoring an eye-watering 91 goals in 2012.

5. RCD Espanyol (25 Goals)

City rivals Espanyol don't have a happy life living in the shadows of Barcelona's success, with Messi making life difficult for them every time he faces them.

The Periquitos have only ever beaten Messi twice, and he's bagged 25 goals against them in 35 games.

4. Real Madrid (26 Goals)

Where to begin with El Clásico?

Messi's first-ever hat trick was scored in a 3-3 El Clásico draw way back in 2007. He has since gone on to become the fixture's all-time top scorer, with half of his 26 goals to date coming at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Cristiano Ronaldo is eight goals behind him in the ties history, alongside Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stéfano - showing just how dominant the Argentine has been in the fixture.

3. Valencia CF (29 Goals)

Matches against Valencia are always feisty affairs for Barcelona, but Messi more often than not is the leading light.

29 goals so far against Los Murciélagos isn't bad going, some would say.

2. Atlético Madrid (32 Goals)

Spread across three competitions, Messi has managed to put away 32 goals in 42 games against Atlético - 26 of them coming in La Liga.

Between 2010 and 2012 he scored ten goals in just five games, becoming a routine headache of Los Rojiblancos before they appointed Diego Simeone as manager.

Even now, he gives his fellow countryman sleepless nights.

1. Sevilla FC (37 Goals)

Many, many teams have suffered at the hands of Messi, but no team has ever struggled like Sevilla have.

Trembling at the mere mention of his name, the Andalusians have let in a whopping 37 goals in the 38 games Messi has faced them. That, unfortunately for Sevilla, means they are officially his favourite whipping boys.