Season: 2004–05La Liga – Matchday 4Date: September 19, 2004Match: FC Barcelona vs. Atlético MadridStadium: Camp Nou, BarcelonaLeague Standing:
Barcelona: 3rd (7 points)
Real Madrid: 1st (9 points, 1 match more)
Valencia: 2nd (7 points, better goal difference)
Top La Liga Scorers:
Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 4 goals
Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona) – 3 goals
Fernando Torres (Atlético Madrid) – 3 goals
Ronaldinho (Barcelona) – 2 goals
Diego Forlán (Villarreal) – 2 goals
European Rising Stars (2004–05):
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United – Premier League)
Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal – Premier League)
Arjen Robben (Chelsea – Premier League)
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich – Bundesliga)
Karim Benzema (Lyon – Ligue 1)
The air was different.
Cooler, sharper — the kind of evening breeze that whispered of big matches.
Barcelona were back at the Camp Nou, facing Atlético Madrid in Matchday 4 of La Liga. A team not just dangerous, but led by one of the league's sharpest blades:
Fernando Torres. El Niño. Captain at 20. Quick. Ruthless. Spain's crown jewel.
It was rising star vs. rising star.
Messi vs. Torres.
Though the world didn't know it yet.
The Pre-Match Pressure
Barcelona were unbeaten, but still 3rd.
Real Madrid had started strong — Ronaldo and Beckham running riot. Valencia, the reigning champions, hadn't conceded a single goal.
"If we want to win La Liga," Rijkaard said, "we can't drop points at home."
In the press room, questions kept circling back.
"Messi's the next Maradona, right?""Does he have the temperament?""Can he win titles — or just hearts?"
Ronaldinho, when asked, replied with a grin:
"He's not the next Maradona. He's the first Messi."
Matchday – Camp Nou
Kickoff Time: 9:00 PM CETAttendance: 85,000Referee: Iturralde González
Rijkaard's lineup:
GK: Víctor Valdés
DEF: Belletti, Puyol, Oleguer, Gio van Bronckhorst
MID: Deco, Xavi, Iniesta
FWD: Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Messi
Messi's first start in a top-5 La Liga clash.
The crowd buzzed. Every camera zoomed in on the #30 shirt.
Minute-by-Minute – First Half
6' – Xavi to Messi. Quick 1-2 with Eto'o. Shot from the edge — blocked.14' – Ronaldinho dribbles past two, threads a ball to Messi — offside by inches.22' – Torres finds space — shoots! Saved by Valdés.29' – Messi dribbles past Antonio López, wins a free kick. Ronaldinho curls it…
GOAL! Barcelona 1–0 Atlético
The assist? Messi's earned foul.
The crowd chants: "¡Lio! ¡Lio! ¡Lio!"
35' – Messi takes a shot himself from 25 yards. Swerving… just wide. The crowd gasps. Rijkaard nods.
Halftime Score: Barcelona 1–0 Atlético
Messi walks off, covered in sweat, but calm.
Puyol pats his head. "They're scared of you now."
Second Half – The Duel
48' – Torres breaks past Oleguer and scores.
Barcelona 1–1 Atlético
The Camp Nou murmurs. Rijkaard tightens his coat.
53' – Eto'o turns provider. Lays it off to Messi on the right.
Touch one: controls with his thigh.Touch two: flicks it inside.Touch three: curls it around two defenders toward the far post…
GOAL!
Barcelona 2–1 Atlético
Messi doesn't celebrate wildly. Just raises a finger to the sky.
His third league goal in four games.
Final Minutes
84' – Deco scores from a set piece.Barcelona 3–1 Atlético
FT: Barcelona 3 – 1 Atlético Madrid
The Name That Follows Him
In the post-match press:
"Messi is writing his own story.""But the shadows are long.""Can he handle the pressure of being Argentina's hope?"
He heard it all.
But said nothing.
That night, he wrote:
Notebook Entry – September 19, 2004
Anto,They keep saying I'm the next Diego.But I'm not trying to replace anyone.I just want to play the game I love. Score goals. Make people smile.If I do that… the rest will follow.I saw Torres today — he's fast. He's already a captain.But I didn't come here to be someone else.I came to become the best version of me.—Leo