Real Madrid’s Nico Paz becomes second-youngest Argentine, after Lionel Messi, to score in UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid midfielder Nico Paz created history on Wednesday (November 29) as he became the youngest Argentine after Lionel Messi to score in the UEFA Champions League.
Los Blancos conceded a ninth-minute opener to Giovanni Simeone, but Rodrygo restored parity after only two minutes. Eleven minutes later, new signing Jude Bellingham fired the hosts in front only for Andre-Frank Zambio Anguissa making it all square two minutes into the second period.
The 19-year-old Paz - coming off the bench - restored Madrid's line in the 84th minute before Joselu confirmed the win four minutes into stoppage time. The win - Madrid's fifth in as many games - confirmed them as group winners.
Meanwhile, the 84th-minute strike made Paz - 19 years, 2 months - the youngest Argentine to score in the UEFA Champions League since Messi netted at the age of 18 years and four months in 2005 for Barcelona.
Messi's goal came in Barca's 5-0 home win over Panathinaikos in November 2005. The Argentine also bagged an assist in that game. The Blaugrana would go on to win the competition, but Messi didn't get a medal, as he was out from the quarterfinal onwards due to a muscle injury.
What is Lionel Messi's record against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League?
Lionel Messi is one of the most prolific goalscorers in UEFA Champions League history, netting 129 times in 163 games. Most of those goals - 120 - came with Barcelona.
During his 17-year stint at the Camp Nou, the Argentine locked horns with Real Madrid 47 times across competitions. Four of those clashes came in the Champions League, with Messi netting twice.
Both goals came in Barca's 2-0 semifinal first-leg win at Real Madrid in the 2010-11 edition of the competition. Although Messi didn't score in the return leg, Barca went through 3-1 on aggregate en route winning the competition for the second time in three years.
More than a decade later - in the 2021-22 season - Messi clashed with Los Blancos again in the Champions League. However, the Argentine missed a first-leg penalty as his PSG side squandered a 2-0 aggregate advantage with 30 minutes left in the tie to lose 3-2.