Barcelona have confirmed in a post on its official website that captain, Lionel Messi, on Thursday night made history in their Copa del Rey 1-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao.
Athletic Bilbao defeated Quique Setien's side, thanks to Inaki Williams's late goal at San Mamés.
According to Barcelona, Messi's participation in the encounter against the Bilbao means the Argentine captain has now played 75 games in the competition, equaling the record held by the club's legend, Josep Samitier in 1932.
The 32-year-old is also just 11 goals from equaling the record for top goalscorer of all time in the history of the Copa del Rey.
Samitier, who played for Barcelona from 1919 to 1933, has 64 goals in the competition, while Messi has 53.
Samitier played his last match for the Catalan club on June 9, 1932.
Behind Messi and Samitier (75 games), lie Andrés Iniesta (73), Vicenç Piera (71) and Xavi Hernández (70) as Barcelona's most prolific Copa del Rey participants.
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