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While the 'greatest of all time' debate will continue to rage on till eternity, there's no denying that Lionel Messi is one of the greatest goalscorers of all time.
In an illustrious career spanning almost 16 years now, the Barcelona ace has played 730 games, a run that has yielded a barely believable tally of 633 goals. These numbers are spread across 68 different club teams in Spain and abroad, an astounding tally by all accounts, but that's not everyone he's faced.
There are still ten teams that Lionel Messi has gone up against but failed to score. He's crossed paths with some of these teams only once, but you'll be surprised to find out that he has struggled against a few of these teams regularly.
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So, let's find out who are these ten clubs who've managed to stop Lionel Messi from finding the back of the net.
Ten club teams Lionel Messi has not scored against:
#10: UDA Gramenet
In his first season with the senior team in 2004-05, Barcelona crashed to an embarrassing 1-0 loss to lowly Gramenet in the Copa Del Rey as a then 17-year-old Lionel Messi returned goalless.
Interestingly, this game came just ten days after Lionel Messi had made his professional debut.
Today, however, Gramenet are languishing in the sixth tier of the Spanish league system. How the 'mighty' have fallen!
#9: Al-Sadd
Lionel Messi's former teammate and close friend Xavi Hernandez is currently the manager of this team. So it would be interesting if the two go head-to-head one day.
The last time Lionel Messi took on the Qatari outfit, Barcelona ran out 4-0 victors. It was in the semifinals of the 2011 Club World Cup, but Lionel Messi, who played the entirety of the match, was off target.
His only involvement that night was the assist he laid for Seydou Keita.
#8: Xerez
Here's another Spanish team, Xerez, that holds the distinction of of having kept out Lionel Messi from scoring.
Xerez, who're currently in the fourth tier of Spanish football, last played in the La Liga during the 2009/10 season. Despite losing both ties with Barcelona that season, Xerez managed to successfully keep Lionel Messi in check.
He came off the bench in both games but could only bag an assist.
Also check out: Messi vs Ronaldo trophies
#7: Murcia
In the last 13 years, the Blaugrana have come up against Murcia just four times; Lionel Messi has featured in only one of those games, which was way back in May 2008.
It was an enthralling eight-goal thriller which Barcelona edged 5-3, but Lionel Messi somehow failed to get on the scoresheet. However, the diminutive Argentinian did lay out two assists on that day.
In December 2017, the two sides clashed in the first round of the Spanish League Cup. Though it was a more straightforward affair for Barcelona this time, Lionel Messi was absent in both legs.
#6: Cadiz
Lionel Messi has played 560 games against Spanish teams in La Liga and the Copa Del Rey combined, but on only one occasion did he face Cadiz, a small club from the ancient port city of Cadiz in south-western Spain.
That was back in the 2005-06 season, which marked the Yellow Submarine's last excursion in the top-flight. A young Lionel Messi played at the Ramon de Carranza that day but fired a blank even as Barcelona saw off a 3-1 victory. Messi did, however, assist one of the two goals scored by Samuel Eto'o.
Now that Cadiz have gained promotion back to La Liga for the upcoming 2020-21 season, Lionel Messi will have a shot at redemption.
#5: Udinese
Now merely an also-ran, Udinese, once upon a time, locked horns with the very best in Europe, including Barcelona.
In 2005, when the teams ended up in the same group in the Champions League, an 18-year-old Lionel Messi played 70 minutes in game at Camp Nou, albeit without scoring, as the Catalans ran out 4-1 victors on the night.
That remains his only ever appearance against the Friulani. Messi was on the bench in the game between Barcelona and Udinese in Udine.
Given the vastly contrasting fortunes of the two clubs right now, Lionel Messi is unlikely to come up against them ever again.
#4: Rubin Kazan
Rubin Kazan have featured only twice in the Champions League. On each occasion, they were drawn in the same group as Barcelona, but more importantly, managed to shut out Lionel Messi each time.
In the 2009-10 season, the red and greens stunned the then-champions at the Camp Nou with an unlikely 2-1 win, before holding them to a goalless draw back in Kazan as the Argentine ace was kept uncharacteristically quiet.
The next year saw the teams paired up once again in the same group. This time, Lionel Messi came off the bench in both legs. But he couldn't break his deadlock against Kazan, even as Barcelona ended their three-game winless run against the Russian outfit at home.
#3: Benfica
Barcelona playing Portuguese sides is a rarity. So Lionel Messi has only ever scored two goals against teams from the neighboring country, and neither came against Benfica.
Having missed both games against the Glorioso in 2005, Lionel Messi played the full 90 minutes in Lisbon in 2012 but didn't score. However, he assisted both of Barcelona's goals in the 2-0 victory.
For the second leg, Lionel Messi only came off the bench and played the final 30 minutes. But once again, the Argentinian couldn't find the back of the net as the match ended goalless.
#2: Napoli
Somehow inexplicably, Barcelona and Napoli never met before in the Champions League until March this year. So naturally, it was also Lionel Messi's first meeting against the Partenopei.
The game at San Paolo ended all square at 1-1, as Antoine Griezmann bagged the goal for the visitors on the night. Lionel Messi, the skipper, though, was largely kept quiet.
He mustered only one shot on target as Napoli kept him at arm's length. Lionel Messi will be looking to get back to scoring ways when Barcelona and Napoli meet again at the Camp Nou this month for the deciding leg of their Round of 16 tie.
#1: Inter Milan
Surprised? Don't be, for there's something about the Nerazzurri that has always spelled ill for Lionel Messi. He has not only failed to fire but has also missed a lot of games against them.
Since the 2009-10 season, Barcelona and Inter Milan have clashed eight times in the Champions League. But Lionel Messi has featuring in only four of these games, three of them came in Inter's title-winning campaign that season.
Lionel Messi couldn't score against the Nerazzurri in 270 minutes that season. He was then ruled out of both games against Inter Milan in 2018-19 due to injuries.
Barcelona and Inter Milan again renewed acquaintances last season. Lionel Messi failed to end his drought against the Serie A side but managed to provide the assist to Luis Suarez for one of his goals in the tie.
