Thirty three and counting - Messi sets new Barcelona trophy record with Supercopa win

Lionel Messi became the most successful player in Barcelona in history on Sunday as he helped the Catalans to a thrilling Supercopa victory over Sevilla. 

The Argentine took the field for the first time since the World Cup to lead Barcelona in the traditional curtain-raiser, played overseas for the first time in Tangier, Tunisia . 

And that lack of playing time seemed to take its toll on Messi and his team-mates early on, when Pablo Sarabia converted to give Sevilla the lead. 

Barca hit back, however, with Leo in the thick of the action as usual. 

The captain's free-kick rebounded via the woodwork into the path of Gerard Pique, who turned in to level the scores at the end of the first half. 

Ousmane Dembele later made it 2-1 with a thumping long-range finish, while Sevilla squandered a golden chance to equalise when Wissam Ben Yedder saw his penalty saved in the final seconds. 

As Andres Iniesta's successor as Blaugrana captain, it fell on Messi to lift the Supercopa trophy, a landmark achievement for the amazing Argentine. 

That win means Messi has now lifted 33 titles during his Barcelona career, more than any other player in the club's history. 

That haul includes four Champions League wins, nine La Liga crowns and six Copas del Rey, as well as a record five Ballons d'Or. 

And while Messi may need a few more matches to drop back into his scintillating regular form, it would take a brave man to bet against the 31-year-old star adding to that collection by the end of the current season.