Lionel Messi is the best player in the world

Barcelona supremo Lionel Messi has had quite a week. The 22 year old Argentine, dubbed by Diego Maradona as his "successor", is in simply irresistible form, scoring eight goals in his last three outings.

The diminutive genius started his week in blistering fashion, netting a majestic hattrick in front of a privileged Camp Nou crowd in Barca's 3-0 victory over high-flying Valencia. Messi took all three of his goals with typical class, ghosting past confounded Los Che defenders and leaving the home fans breathless.

Messi's mid-week exploits saw him lead the Catalan side's charge in Europe. The European Champions, bidding to become the first side in history to retain the trophy, eased past helpless German side Stuttgart. The young Argentine played a massive part in Barca's victory, scoring two and creating another.

Messi's first came from nothing. He picked up the ball just beyond the halfway line before weaving into a throng of Stuttgart defenders and striking into the top corner, leaving former Arsenal 'keeper Jens Lehmann helpless.With the German side's defence closing in on him, it had seemed impossible that the Argentine could find the back of the net - write off Messi at your peril.

"Write off Messi at your peril"

On 22 minutes it was Messi's turn to become provider. The 22 year old dinked a delightful, defence-splitting ball wide to Toure, who consummately squared for the on-rushing Pedro to tap in a wonderfully worked team goal.

Messi scored Barca's third on the hour mark, settling the tie at 4-1 on aggregate. Creative industry from the attacking Dani Alves sent Pedro surging down the right hand flank and he pulled the ball back to Alves, whose smart flick found Messi, leaving the European player of the year to guide the ball into the near corner, wrong footing Lehmann in the Stuttgart goal.

Barca's fourth came as Stuttgart were looking stretched. A simple counter-attack saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic slide 19 year old prodigy Bojan Krkic in for his first touch of the night, slotting past Lehmann's valiant outstretched arm to seal a fantastic European night for Barcelona.

Back on home soil, Messi was at it again. This time it was Real Zaragoaza's Romareda crowd who were treated to another masterclass as Messi completed his second domestic hattrick in the space of seven days. In a role reversal from mid-week, it was Pedro who supplied Messi with the opening goal after just 5 minutes. The Spanish winger fired in a left footed cross for Messi to deftly nod home, demonstrating the versatility of the current Ballon D'or holder who scores goals with both his feet and his head.

"Messi scores goals with both his feet and his head"

In the 66th minute, Messi showed effortless, all-round quality to score his and Barca's second. Back-tracking, the Argentine wizard wrested possession in midfield before skipping past one then running at the hapless Matteo Contini, turning the defender inside out before rifling a low strike into the far corner. He simply made it look easy.

Barca's third showed how easy it is for creative players like Andres Iniesta to get their assist bonus with Messi in their line-up. The Spanish playmaker picked up the ball in midfield before distributing it to Messi outside the area, Messi took one touch to push the ball outside his left foot before curling it into the near corner to complete his hattrick.

Zaragoza then thereatened an unlikely comeback, with two quick fire goals from hard-working striker Adrian Colunga in the 85th and 89th minute. The home side's uprising was quashed in stoppage time however, as Messi once more tormented centre back Contini whose only option was to bring the Argentine maestro down for a penalty. Selflessly, Messi handed the responsibility of taking the spot-kick to striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"Contini's only option was to bring the
Argentine maestro down for a penalty"

The recent form of the Swedish striker has been an interesting sub-plot in Barca's season. The Catalan giants' win at La Romareda typified the second most expensive player in the world's 2010 so far as he missed a number of guilt-edged chances, looking bereft of confidence. And when he plundered in the penalty won by the masterful Messi, the big striker's frustration was clear for all to see. Despite the difference in their physical stature, Ibrahimovic knows that he has been dwarfed by the irrepresible Messi this season, and will hope his twelve yard strike will be the catalyst that re-ignites his goalscoring form.

As for Messi, there are no words. Superlatives simply don't do him justice.