Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo are both in devastating form ahead of the Copa del Rey semifinal clash between the clubson Wednesday. Messi on Sunday scored four goals in a 5-1 rout of Osasuna to become the youngest player in La Liga history to score 200 goals, in addition to setting another league record for scoringin 11 consecutive games. Ronaldo, meanwhile, bagged yet another hat trick in an 11-minute span that powered Los Blancos to a 4-0 win over Getafe.
Messi, with 202 goals in 235 La Ligaappearances, became the eighth player in the league’s history to reach 200 goals. Ahead of him are Telmo Zarra (251), Hugo Sanchez (234), RaulGonzalez (228), Alfredo di Stefano (227), Cesar Rodriguez (223), Quini (219) and Pahino (210). Zarra, previously theyoungest to have reached 200 goals, achieved the feat when he was 29. Messi, is 25.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 20th hat trick of his career in an 11-minute span to lead Real to a 4-0 winover Getafe (Messi has 22 career hat tricks). Ronaldo has 133 goals in 121 appearances for Real.
Barcelona will host Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinal first-leg onWednesday.