Even the best in the world have weaknesses – it’s just a shame when they’re as crucial as a footballer being bad at taking penalties.
Lionel Messi’s miss against Levante left him with a success rate from the spot of just 78% across Barcelona’s La Liga and Champions League games, well below the 90% rate which rival Cristiano Ronaldo has enjoyed since moving to Spain.
Messi’s record isn’t the worst around, though – Wayne Rooney’s record for club and country sits at 75% (24 from 32), though if you take out his England strikes he’s down to 69%.
Still, maybe it’s time for Barcelona to give their penalties to someone else for a while – it can’t hurt, surely.
