Messi scores 500th goal, as Barca bows to Valencia

Lionel Messi has scored his 500th career goal in all competitions by pulling one back for Barcelona against Valencia in their La Liga clash at the Camp Nou on Sunday.
The Argentine had gone more than 500 minutes without registering a goal or assist for Barcelona before netting against Los Che – his longest such drought since becoming a regular starter for the club in 2008.
However, he ended that run in the 64th minute at the Camp Nou to halve the deficit for the league leaders against Valencia.
The 28-year-old now has a club-record 450 goals for Barcelona and 50 for Argentina to take his senior tally in all competitions to 500.
Messi, who has scored 40 or more goals in each of the past eight seasons, has reached the milestone in 632 games and has also contributed more than 200 assists in that time.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi has won five Ballon d’Ors, seven league titles and four Champions League crowns during his glittering career.
Valencia stunned Barcelona by claiming a 2-1 victory at Camp Nou to inflict a third-straight defeat on their opponents in the process.
The Catalan giants have now won just one of their last six in all competitions and have seen their lead at the top of La Liga completely cut by Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in recent weeks.
Atleti’s win over Granada earlier in the day ensures that they are now level with Barca at the summit, behind their opponents’ only by the virtue of a weaker head-to-head record this term.