Go on, Leo, Muller that record

TOP SHOT ... Lionel Messi, being lifted by Andres Iniesta, is set to beat Gerd Muller's remarkable goals tally

ADRIANO has promised Lionel Messi: We will make sure you Muller the record of ‘Der Bomber’.

Barcelona’s mercurial Messi is just one goal shy of equalling Bayern Munich legend Gerd Muller’s 40-year-old record of 85 goals for club and country in a calendar year.

The Argentina superstar, 25, will almost certainly achieve that against Benfica tonight in the Nou Camp or away at Real Betis on Sunday.

Barca team-mate Adriano said: “First we want Leo to beat Muller’s record, then we want to help him add even more goals.

“He is a phenomenon — each season Leo wants to increase his goals total to show just what a unique player he is.

“We are all waiting for this moment in history when he beats the record. We all know it will happen. He is the best player in world football.

“I am so happy to be playing play next to him.”

Messi’s 84 goals in 2012 are broken down like this: 54 in La Liga, 13 in the Champions League, SEVEN in friendlies, FIVE in World Cup qualifiers, THREE in the Spanish Cup and TWO in the Spanish Cup.

Barca coach Tito Vilanova added: “Messi deserves to beat Muller’s record. And it would be sensational to do it against Benfica in the Champions League.

“But it’s not an obsession with us. We shall play our normal way.”

Messi himself seems more concerned about scoring to help Celtic pip Benfica to a knockout stage spot.

He said: “The Celtic fans deserve to be in Europe. They were amazing in both games we have played against them recently.

“We knew what they were going to be like in Glasgow.

“But the way they were in Barcelona after they had just lost in the way they did was amazing.

“I have never seen anything like that before.”