Messi's objective when he comes up against Athletic Club in San Mamés

FC Barcelona face Athletic Club at the new San Mames stadium on Thursday in an all or nothing Copa del Rey clash. The 'Leones' have a fine record at home which will be even more important in a one-off tie. And it's actually a fixture Lionel Messi is yet to win either.

There aren't many records or sequences that Messi hasn't broken in world football, particularly in Spain, but there is one he's yet to achieve. He's never won a cup match at the San Mames. He was part of the side that drew 1-1 in the 2nd leg of the 2010/11 season as well as the one which lost 2-1 in the 1st leg of the 2016/17 campaign. That poor run even extends to the Spanish Super Cup where Barça lost 4-0 in the 1st leg back in 2015. 

A Common VICTIM, BUT...

Athletic Club are the sixth highest team Messi has scored against: 24 goals in 35 matches. In the three finals played on neutral ground (2009, 2012 and 2015) the Argentine has scored 4 goals. In his 19 matches against Athletic at the Camp Nou, he's got 19 to his name. However at San Mames he's only managd 5 goals in 13 matches.

Messi has never lost on his trips to Bilbao in the league (5 wins, 5 draws) and has scored 4 times. Across all league matches he's won 5, drawn 6 and only lost twice. Yet away to Athletic, in the cups, he's been unable to leave victorious.

MESSI's record vs ATHLETIC CLUB in cup competitions:

• 13/05/2009 · Final · Athletic Club - FC Barcelona · 1-4 · 1 goal
• 21/12/2010 · 1/8 1st · FC Barcelona - Athletic Club · 0-0
• 05/01/2011 · 1/8 2nd · Athletic Club - FC Barcelona · 1-1
• 25/05/2012 · Final · Athletic Club - FC Barcelona · 0-3 · 1 goal
• 30/05/2015 · Final · Athletic Club - FC Barcelona · 1-3 · 2 goals
• 27/01/2016 · 1/4 2nd· FC Barcelona - Athletic Club · 3-1
• 05/01/2017 · 1/8 1st · Athletic Club - FC Barcelona · 2-1 · 1 goal
• 11/01/2017 · 1/8 2nd · FC Barcelona - Athletic Club · 3-1 · 1 goal