Messi likes to play in Seville. At Villamarín they have even applauded some of their exhibitions (a pipe to Guardado, a petroleum jelly to Pau). At Sánchez Pizjuán they have whistled him until he said enough and they have even reproached his players for ever putting him on the red carpet. But they respect him as much as their numbers say. Messi has scored 37 goals in 38 games for Sevillla. Some for memory. A spectacular volley in the 2008-09 season, that subtle petroleum jelly to Palop after a spout to Spahic in 2012. The Sánchez Pizjuán is one of Piqué's preferred courses due to the atmosphere. But Messi has also always liked him. In silence it will be different.
It is well remembered that Messi is the ogre of Sevilla. But less is remembered, ten years have already passed, that the Sánchez Pizjuán locker room is one of the first sacred places in which the Argentine shed tears. Guardiola's Barça, who had just won the Sextete in 2009, were eliminated in Seville for the first time since Santpedor's manager of the Barça team. Barça had lost 1-2 in the first leg and in the turn Guardiola put all the artillery. But it was not enough. He only won 0-1. Palop was the hero that night in which the legend of the Copa del sombero was born that would end up winning Sevilla by Antonio Álvarez (although in the end it was Manolo Jiménez who had taken it). Messi was found in tears in the locker room. Perhaps he was aware that this team was practically unbeatable and that each title that escaped was a lost opportunity.
In addition to his spectacular figures against Sevilla, Messi is about to break down another historic barrier, that of the 700 goals in his career. The Argentine has scored 629 goals in 720 games with Barça and 70 goals in 138 clashes with Argentina. He is, therefore, at 699 goals. Of these, he has scored 440 in LaLiga in 476 games, an incredible average of 0.92 goals per game. At almost one goal per game in La Liga, almost one goal per game against Sevilla, it is possible that everyone is thinking the same thing. But Messi has also cried in Nervión.