Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi made another hat trick and he broken Barcelona's 57-year-old goal-scoring record during the 5-3 win over Granada at the Nou Camp in La Liga on Tuesday, March 20th. Messi tied Cesar Rodriguez's record with a left-foot volley off a post in the 17^th minute for his 232^nd goal, and broke the record later with a lob over the goalkeeper in the 68^th minute of the game. The Argentine's third goal came four minutes from time when he rounded the keeper after a pass from Dani Alves.

His record target was revised down to 232 from 235 after a newspaper study.

Barcelona's Centre of Documentation and Studies and La Vanguardia newspaper conducted joint research to verify the scoring record of previous record-holder Cesar Rodriguez in the 1950s.

Messi, the 24-year-old named three times World Player of the Year, who is in his eighth season with Barca, increased his score at 54 goals in all competitions this season. He is also now the top-scorer in La Liga this season with 34 goals from 27 games, two ahead of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Athletico Madrid's Falcao is third with 17 goals.

"We have to congratulate Messi, he has scored so many goals and is only 24, he does not just score ordinary goals but great goals and we hope he gets lots more for us, we can compare him perhaps the Michael Jordan [American basketball legend] of football," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.

"There are no players capable of dominating a sport with such superiority. In every sport there has existed only one player that can be considered as somebody unique. And this is the case. Yes, Messi can be compared to Michael Jordan."

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdez said of his team-mate: "Messi is defining an era. He is the best."

He set the new record in Barcelona's win over Granada which moves the Catalan side to within five points of league leaders Real Madrid, who they face at the Nou Camp on April 22^nd .