Lionel Messi did not have a great game against Monterrey CF in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals yesterday, as he failed terribly at a free kick. Messi had a free kick from outside the box, but the end product was not what many expected. In the 32nd minute, Messi and Inter Miami had the chance to equalize the game as they were 1-0 down. Messi stepped up, but his shot went very wide. Messi looked at the pitch after the kick, and in certain aspects, he was right because the grass in the Monterrey stadium was in poor condition.
Lionel Messi has scored 65 career free kicks and is one of the best ever at the set-piece. Last year, Messi scored five free-kick goals with PSG, Inter Miami, and the Argentina national team. Messi scored a free-kick on his Inter Miami debut against Liga MX side Cruz Azul last summer in the 2023 Leagues Cup in Miami.
So far in 2024, Messi has scored zero goals from free-kicks. Messi has played 13 matches in total this year so far with Inter Miami in the MLS and CONCACAF Champions Cup and friendly matches. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo scored two free-kick goals this year, and he scored both in the same game. Ronaldo scored two free kicks against Abha in the Al Nassr 8-0 win in the Saudi Pro League.
Messi, so far this league season from 2023/24, has had 12 free-kick attempts. His conversation rate is 0.0% since he has yet to score a free kick this year. Messi's best conversation rate was in the 2018/19 La Liga season, when he had 14.6%. He had 41 free-kick attempts, of which he scored six.
Messi will look to change that in Inter Miami's next game in the MLS against Sporting Kansas City. They will play at the Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Superbowl champions, Kansas City Chiefs.
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