Messi 3 goals away from Spanish league\\\'s top scorer

BARCELONA, Oct 3 (AP): Lionel Messi is three goals away from equaling the Spanish league's all-time scoring record, a milestone that has stood untouched for almost 60 years.

Athletic Bilbao great Telmo Zarra scored 251 goals in 271 games from 1940-55.

Since netting his first goal for Barcelona in 2005, Messi has 248 goals in league play.

Saturday's match at Rayo Vallecano will be his 284th league appearance.

"Right now, I am not thinking about the record," Messi said on Thursday. "But it will be nice to become the top scorer of one of the best leagues in the world. So many good players and scorers have played here. It will come when it is supposed to."

Already Barcelona's all-time leading scorer, Messi holds the league's single-season scoring record of 50 in 2011-12.