Messi, Suarez and Neymar on 103 goals for the season, but remain in spot of bother

Lionel Messi continued Barcelona’s curiously wayward record from the penalty spot against Getafe in La Liga on Saturday.

Messi still managed to score a wonderful effort from outside the box in a comfortable 6-0 triumph, as Luis Enrique’s men continued to be unaffected by their haphazard attempts from 12 yards.

Indeed the famed ‘MSN’ front line have 103 goals for the season between them after their latest Camp Nou triumph.

The reigning champions have now missed eight of 15 penalties awarded to them in La Liga this term and 10 of 20 in all competitions – statistics that place a rare blot on the performances of Barca’s sublime front three.

Messi’s miss rate is four out of eight, the same as Neymar, while Luis Suarez has also failed with 50 per cent of his four kicks.

11: Messi misses a penalty! – Neymar brought down in the box but Guaita pulls off an excellent save #FCBGetafe #FCBlive (1-0)

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 12, 2016

All 10 of the matches in question ended with Barcelona victories and each ultimately minor setback is listed below.

Barcelona’s 10 penalty misses in 2015-16:

August 23, Athletic Bilbao (A) – In something of a false start to his Liga campaign, Messi saw his first-half penalty saved by Gorka Iraizoz on the opening day at San Mames. Suarez bailed him out by converting Jordi Alba’s cross for the only goal.

September 20, Levante (H) – In between a second-half brace that sealed a 4-1 win, Messi was unable to capitalise on a 75th-minute penalty.

September 26, Las Palmas (H) – Jonathan Viera’s late strike ensured a nervy finish for Luis Enrique’s men in this 2-1 victory – one that might have been averted had Neymar followed Luis Suarez’s brace by converting a 66th-minute penalty.

November 24, Roma (H) – Wojciech Szczesny plunged to his right to keep out Neymar’s kick, only to see Adriano rifle home the rebound to score Barcelona’s final goal in a 6-1 Champions League thumping.

December 30, Real Betis (H) – Neymar struck the post having sent Antonio Adan the wrong way but his blushes were spared as a lunging Heiko Westermann put the rebound into his own net – setting Barca on their way to a 4-0 win.

February 3, Valencia (H) – There were four goals for Suarez and a hat-trick for Messi  in this 7-0 humiliation of Gary Neville’s visitors in the Copa del Rey semi-final, with Neymar passing up the chance to contribute to a bulging scoreline when he erred from the spot in first-half stoppage time.

February 14, Celta Vigo (H) – Messi captured the imagination of football fans worldwide with his cheeky pass from the spot for Suarez to score in a 6-1 rout but, unfortunately for the mercurial Argentine, this became technically the latest addition to his list of misses.

February 17, Sporting Gijon (A) – Three days on from that memorable goal versus Celta, Suarez could not complete a more conventional penalty as Ivan Cuellar saved, although he had the final word in a 3-1 win.

50% – Leo Messi (4 out of 8), Neymar (4 out of 8) and Suárez (2 out of 4) have missed 50% of penalties they have taken. MSN

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 12, 2016

March 3, Rayo Vallecano (A) – Suarez had a 69th minute kick saved by Juan Carlos and the prolific Uruguayan was unable to get among the scorers in a 5-1 triumph.

March 12, Getafe (H) – Messi’s unusually poor record from 12 yards was extended when Vicente Guaita guessed correctly and kept out a kick low to his left with relative ease in the 11th minute.