Lionel Messi will be hoping he can replicate his incredible 2019 in 2020.The Barcelona superstar helped his side win another La Liga as he claimed his sixth Ballon d’Or for his staggering performances.However, it wasn’t the perfect start to the New Year for Messi and co. in the Catalan derby against Espanyol.They found themselves 1-0 down after a first-half strike from Espanyol’s David Lopez.But Ernesto Valverde’s side looked to have turned the game around with goals from Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal in nine second-half minutes.

Minutes later, they had a great opportunity to kill off the game - and it was all created by Messi.

In fact, he was denied one of the greatest assists of his career by Suarez’s miss.

Messi picked the ball up well inside his half and turned on the afterburners to beat four opponents.

Then, he somehow produced a brilliant reverse pass to cut open Espanyol’s defence, putting the ball on a plate for Suarez.

However, Suarez’s left-footed shot was saved by Diego Lopez and we were prevented from witnessing one of Messi best assists.

It proved costly, too.

After Frenkie de Jong was dismissed for two yellow cards in the space of nine minutes, Espanyol grabbed a late equaliser through Chinese star Wu Lei.

With Real Madrid winning earlier in the day, it means the two El Clasico rivals are now, once again, separated by just goal difference - just two goals to be exact.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are now just five points adrift of the pair.

But if that incredible run and pass is anything to go by, it seems Messi means business in 2020.

Although we don’t think he’ll be speaking to Suarez anytime soon.