LIONEL MESSI was handed a framed Barcelona shirt after breaking the club’s appearance record.
The Argentine great, 33, received a special gift before Monday’s LaLiga win over Real Valladolid.
Messi made his 768th appearance in the famous Barca colours – having broken a record set by fellow club legend Xavi before the international break.
His partner Antonella Roccuzzo and their three sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro joined him on the Nou Camp pitch before kick-off.
A special message for Messi was displayed on the pitch, too, which read ‘touching the sky’.
Ousmane Dembele scored an injury-time winner as Barcelona edged past Valladolid 1-0 on Monday night.
The victory took them within one point of LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid with nine games to play.
Messi, meanwhile, has scored an incredible 663 goals for the Catalan giants in a glittering career that could be coming to an end.
He was set to leave the Nou Camp last summer before backing down in his row with the club.
Messi tried to leave his boyhood side after 16 years at start of the season, but stayed to avoid a drawn out court battle.
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Still, former manager Pep Guardiola at Man City and PSG are waiting in the wings for a potential free transfer.
New club president Joan Laporta has vowed to keep Messi at the club, following the Argentine’s bombshell transfer request last summer.
The Messi camp know all too well the financial problems the club are in.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
