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During his 14-year career with Barcelona, Lionel Messi has averaged 39 goals per season. Since his debut, Barcelona have won four UEFA Champions League titles and nine Spanish Leagues, with Messi as the undisputed leader in three UCL championships and six of nine domestic victories.
Ranking Messi´s best five years for Barcelona is a difficult task, but it is time to put into context every one of his seasons and arrive at what are the Argentinian master's best years.
#5 2011/12 Record-breaking Messi, but heartbreaking UCL loss
The 2011/12 season could easily be Messi's greatest, but his Champions League collapse against Chelsea, missing the penalty that would have put Barcelona through the semifinals, and Barcelona's struggles in La Liga change the picture.
The 2011/12 season was great for Messi individually - the Argentinian scored 73 goals in 60 games and added 28 assists. Pretty brilliant.
In La Liga, Messi set the record for most goals in a season with 50, even though nine of those goals were scored after Real Madrid's 2-1 victory at Camp Nou to, practically, seal the title. However, it was still a remarkable feat.
Messi's performance in the UCL was brilliant throughout the group stage and the quarterfinals. He scored a then-record 14 goals in the European competition and was aiming to give Barcelona their second straight title and the first successful title defense in the Champions League era, but Chelsea stood in Messi's way.
Barcelona won the Copa del Rey with an easy victory against Athletic Bilbao in the final. Also, Messi's squad defeated Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the tournament with two assists from the number 10.
In December 2011, Barcelona won the Club World Cup after dismantling Neymar's Santos in the final. Messi scored two goals.
#4 2009/10
Even with Barcelona unable to repeat their 2008/09 success in the UEFA Champions League, Messi was brilliant in the 2009/10 season.
The Argentinian magician led Barcelona's greatest season in La Liga, up to that point, and did it while producing big performances in big games. Messi was the Spanish League's leading scorer with 34 in 35 games, including one goal at Real Madrid's home on matchday 31 to put Barcelona on top of the standings.
The European Cup saw Messi perform well, but he was far from his best. Messi was the leading goalscorer again, with eight goals, but four of those goals were scored in the same game, versus Arsenal in the quarterfinals second leg.
Messi's numbers were big: the Argentinian scored a then career-high 47 goals in 53 matches and accompanied his brilliant scoring with 10 assists.
#3 2008/09 Breakthrough and Treble
Messi's first step towards greatness was made during the 2008/09 season: his first year with Pep Guardiola.
With Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry as his attacking crew, the 21-year-old Messi excelled during the 2008/09 season, especially against Real Madrid.
Messi saw La Casa Blanca twice in the Spanish League and scored three goals to lead Barcelona's two victories versus their main rivals.
In the Spanish League, Argentina's great scored 23 goals and assisted 13 times in 33 games. Even though Eto'o (30 goals) and Henry (19) had great numbers as well, Messi was Barcelona's most dynamic offensive weapon.
Messi scored one goal versus Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final. Barcelona won the match with a comfortable 4-1 scoreline.
Messi was the top goalscorer in the Champions League with 9 goals, including four in the knockout stage, and his header versus Manchester United in the final at Rome put the game out of reach and completed Barcelona's first treble in their history. Messi won his first Ballon d'Or in 2009 after putting up 38 goals and 17 assists in the 2008/09 season with Barcelona.
#2 2014/15 The second Treble
Barcelona's first season with new coach Luis Enrique did not start well, and after a 2013/14 campaign with no trophies, the pressure was immense. With Neymar playing his second season with Barcelona and the arrival of Uruguayan Luis Suárez, who was still serving his suspension from the 2014 World Cup, Barcelona's season had to improve, and it did.
The Catalan side's 3-1 victory over Atlético Madrid in January 2015 was the turning point. Messi, Neymar, and Suárez scored one goal each to take down Diego Pablo Simeone's squad and maintain their quest to catch an injury-ravaged Real Madrid at the top of the table.
Messi's team faced Real Madrid in March 2015, trailing Los Blancos by two points. Barcelona needed the win. Messi's assists to Jérémy Mathieu and Suárez in the second half were enough to overcome Cristiano's equalizer in the first half. Barcelona took the lead at the top of the table and never looked back.
In the Copa del Rey final, Barcelona played Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou, and Messi scored two goals to seal the deal. His first goal was absolutely amazing.
The UCL semifinals saw Messi face Bayern Munich and his former boss, Josep Guardiola. After Guardiola claimed during a press conference before the match that Messi was "just too good", the Argentinian drove home those words.
With the game tied at 0-0 and 15 minutes left on the clock, Messi hit the back of the net with his left foot, then a couple of minutes later scored once again, after a memorable dribble past Jerome Boateng and, with a simple touch, left goalkeeper Manuel Neuer helpless.
Barcelona defeated Juventus in the UCL final at Berlin 3-1. Messi could not score in the deciding match, but he was clearly the best player on the team. His numbers were great, with 58 goals in 57 matches and 27 assists, taking advantage of Neymar and Suárez's offensive presence.
Messi earned his fifth Ballon d'Or following the conclusion of the 2014/15 season.
#1 2010/11 Champions League hero
Messi's season after the 2010 World Cup was undoubtedly his greatest campaign. Barcelona's magical style of play under Josep Guardiola, and Xavi and Andrés Iniesta's dominance in the midfield gave Messi the opportunity to shine in attack, and the number 10 did not disappoint.
In Barcelona's charge to La Liga title over Real Madrid, Messi was fantastic. The Argentinian scored 31 goals in 33 appearances and assisted a season-high 18 times. Barcelona won the league comfortably, finishing four points ahead of Los Blancos. Messi's goal tally ranked second behind Cristiano Ronaldo's 40 goals, but it was enough to win the championship.
The unstoppable number 10 scored 12 goals in the Champions League and gave Barcelona their fourth European Cup. Messi's heroics came at the best time for his team, against Real Madrid in the semifinals, and versus Manchester United in the deciding match at Wembley Stadium.
Messi netted a brace in the first leg in Madrid, then gave Barcelona a 2-1 lead in the final against Sir Alex Ferguson's side with a great goal from outside the box.
The Argentinian virtuoso finished his best season with 53 goals and 23 assists in 55 games.
Do you agree with this list? Which do you think was Messi's best season? Let us know in the comments.
