Messi has shaved his beard: 2015 Copa final vibes are back

After photos of Lionel Messi in training emerged ahead of this season’s Copa del Rey final, Barcelona fans have gone into a frenzy. Excitement has taken over the fans as Messi has seemingly shaved his entire beard clean, making him look many years younger.

Barcelona fans hope he can similarly roll back the years to the 2015 cup final, where he put in an absolutely unforgettable performance. He also scored what is still remembered as one of the greatest cup final goals of all time, which helped Barcelona take a massive step towards an unprecedented second treble.

Is it coming? pic.twitter.com/dl7uSdrUPT

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 15, 2021

However, the circumstances are largely different this time around, as the Copa del Rey final on Saturday is possibly Barcelona’s best shot at silverware in the 20-21 season. The one major similarity? Their opponents- Athletic Club Bilbao. Barcelona have already faced them thrice in 2021, including the Supercup final in January.

The Basque side had won that encounter in extra time, but Barcelona now have a shot at redemption. The Blaugrana faithful will be hoping that a fresh-faced Lionel Messi can once again work his magic to add to his tally of 29 goals and 13 assists in the 30 finals that he has already played.

Six years ago, Messi scored THAT incredible solo effort against the Lions. A goal that was labelled as “scientifically impossible” and “unrepeatable”. Of course, Barcelona fans know full well that it is repeatable. And there is only one man who can do it. That man is Lionel Messi himself.