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The big guns were out in the cup this week as the competition enters the serious stage, with Messi and Negredo netting two each, and Cristiano Ronaldo, Soldado, Rubén Castro and Aduríz all on target. Few goals at the weekend though, with eight of the first division matches only producing eight goals between them, Aduríz getting one of those in Athletic's 0-1 win at Mallorca. There were four goals however in the Bernabeu stadium, Ronaldo scoring for Real Madrid as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Espanyol, and five in the Nou Camp as leaders Barcelona beat second placed Atlético Madrid 4-1, strikes by Adriano and Busquets overturning Falcao's early goal before the break, and Messi adding another two in the second half to take his tally for the calendar year to 90 goals. Messi now has 25 league goals this season, and incredibly only Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid have scored more, which must be something of a record in itself!

However it appears now that his 90 is still not the highest number of goals in a year, as Marca has reported that an African football historian has delved in to past records and come up with the fact that Zambia's Ucar Chitalu scored 107 goals in 1972! Far be it for us to gainsay his record, but Chitalu (who died in the 1993 plane crash which wiped out the Zambian national squad, of which he was then coach) scored 97 of those goals whilst playing for Zambian league side Kabwe Warriors, including goals scored in friendly games against Sheffield United (??) and Unión Española, and surely that cannot be matched against Messi's record of goals for Barcelona and Argentina in La Liga and international competitions? Next we know Marca's editor will be writing to FIFA claiming the record for his neighbour's nephew who scored 217 goals in the schoolyard last year! (18.12.12)

Pichichi League Cup Europe Total (Penalties)
Messi (Barcelona) 25 4 5 34 (2)
Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 14 3 6 23 (4)
Falcao (Atlético) 17 0 3 20 (5)
Aduríz (Athletic Bilbao) 10 1 3 14 (1)
Soldado (Valencia) 8 1 4 13 (4)
Rubén Castro (Betis) 9 2 0 11 (0)
Negredo (Sevilla) 8 3 0 11 (3)
Higuaín (Real Madrid) 7 1 0 8 (0)
David Villa (Barcelona) 5 3 0 8 (0)
Benzema (Real Madrid) 3 2 3 8 (0)
Hemed (Mallorca) 7 0 0 7 (0)
Oscar (Valladolid) 7 0 0 7 (0)
Postiga (Zaragoza) 7 0 0 7 (0)
Fàbregas (Barcelona) 5 1 1 7 (0)
Raúl García (Atlético Madrid) 3 2 2 7 (0)
Iago Aspas (Celta) 6 0 0 6 (1)
Riki (Deportivo) 6 0 0 6 (0)
Martins (Levante) 6 0 0 6 (0)
Leo Baptistao (Rayo) 6 0 0 6 (0)
Vela (Real Sociedad) 6 0 0 6 (3)
Manucho (Valladolid) 6 0 0 6 (0)
Adriano (Barcelona) 5 1 0 6 (0)
Saviola (Málaga) 5 0 1 6 (0)
Joaquín (Málaga) 4 0 2 6 (2)
Feghouli (Valencia) 3 0 3 6 (0)
Susaeta (Athletic Bilbao) 2 0 4 6 (0)
Jonas (Valencia) 1 1 4 6 (1)