Lionel Messi Scores Two Breathtaking Goals During Nail Biter Against Bayern Munich

Lionel Messi is the bridge between diehard soccer fans and everyday people. For those who do not watch the sport on a regular basis, he is a once in a generation athlete that forces everyone to tune in.

During Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich, he showed why he is still arguably the greatest footballer in the world.

The whole night, fans were on edge, as this was a tightly contested matchup for over 75 minutes. Was goaltender Manuel Neuer going to stop Messi again? He certainly thought so, as he trash talked him in a pre-game press conference: “But it’s crucial to show authority when we meet on the pitch and show [Messi] who’s boss. I did the same in the World Cup final and it worked out pretty well.”

But it looks like Lionel got the last laugh, putting in two goals in less than five minutes. The first came off a pass from Neymar, which set up Messi at the edge of the box. He ripped a strike past the obviously angry Neuer, placing Barcelona ahead and essentially opening up the floodgates.

Less than five minutes later, Messi would duke out defenseman Jerome Boateng — essentially breaking his ankles — and chip the ball slightly over Manuel’s head, giving the world one of the most breathtaking goals ever.

The game was essentially over, but Neymar put it further away in extra time, as he scored on a one-on-one breakaway between him and the goaltender.

The final score was 3-0. Next, Barcelona plays Real Sociedad on May 9.