La Liga top scorers list: Messi heads 4-way battle

The battle for the Pichichi Trophy is heating up in La Liga with Messi heading a four-way battle for top honors.

Despite not scoring in Barcelona’s 1-0 win over Real Valladolid, Lionel Messi remains on course for a record eighth Pichichi Trophy.

The Argentine has scored an impressive 23 goals in 25 league appearances. He is averaging a league-best of 2.83 shots on target and has been superb in 2021, having bagged 16 goals in only 13 outings so far.

Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno, who scored a hat-trick in the 3-0 win against Granada over the weekend, and Atletico Madrid star Luis Suarez are Messi’s closest challengers.

Although Karim Benzema is only a goal behind the pair in fourth place. The Real Madrid striker has scored 10 times in only 11 games in 2021 and would probably be higher up the list had he not been injured earlier in the year.

Top scorers in La Liga

Barcelona only a point behind Atletico Madrid

Victory on Monday marked another step in Barcelona’s impressive comeback. The 26-time champions have closed to within a point of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid, having gone unbeaten in their last 19 games.

But Real Madrid are only two points behind in third and can change the title battle in a big way on Saturday by winning the Clasico against Barcelona.