Scoring streaks and spilled beans

Team: FC Bayern München
Eleven goals scored and two former European champions beaten adds up to a very good week's work for Jupp Heynckes's men. Yes, that goals tally owes much to the 9-2 demolition of Hamburger SV that preceded Bayern's 2-0 win against Juventus, but which of the two victories was more impressive is a matter of some debate. HSV travelled to the Bundesliga leaders having lost to lowly FC Augsburg the week before, whereas Juve were undefeated in 18 European matches ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg. Bayern were worthy winners, though, prompting visiting coach Antonio Conte to concede that "we just came up against a great team tonight".

Player: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
OK, we usually bet without this guy – but just occasionally we keep up to date with whatever record he has smashed. Messi has scored in 19 successive Liga games, easily surpassing the previous mark of ten set by Mariano Martín (Barcelona, 1942/43–1943/44) and Ronaldo (Barcelona, 1996/97), following his 72nd-minute strike in Barcelona's 2-2 draw at RC Celta de Vigo last weekend.

With that goal, he became the first player to register against every other Liga side consecutively. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, last season, had previously managed to score against all teams in the Spanish top flight in one campaign. The hamstring injury Messi suffered in the first half of the Blaugrana's 2-2 midweek draw at Paris Saint-Germain FC means the No10 cannot extend his record against RCD Mallorca on Saturday.

Demba scored Chelsea's winner©Getty Images

Number: 269
Record appearance makers often grace Pick of the Week, but it is usually players – and sometimes a coach – who provide the subject matter. In Romania, though, it was referee Alexandru Tudor who made the longevity headlines on Monday when he officiated at his 269th top-flight game, a 1-1 draw between FC Oțelul Galați and FC Steaua Bucureşti.

Tudor broke a four-year-old record established by retired referee Sorin Corpodean – and there was a 1 April surprise in store for the man in the middle (of the welcome variety) when he received a special trophy from one of Romania's most famous match officials, Nicolae Rainea. "OK, it is an individual record, but I could not achieve this without teamwork," said the 41-year-old FIFA badge holder, who has had the whistle in his hand since 1990.

Quote:
"I'm not full of beans at the moment."
Liam Daish, manager of English fifth-tier side Ebbsfleet United FC, tells BBC Radio 5 live how he is feeling upon arriving home from Barrow AFC at 08.30 local time on Thursday. The Kent team's 1,020km round trip to the north-west took almost 24 hours after they were held up by a baked bean spillage on the M6 motorway. The match, which ended 1-1, started 90 minutes late and did not finish until 23.00.

Saying sorry: Hamburger SV
By way of an apology to fans who attended Hamburg's 9-2 Bundesliga loss at Bayern last Saturday, HSV's joint-heaviest defeat, the club have invited supporters to their training base later this month for a barbecue – paid for by the players. "I am sorry for our fans and the club," said repentant captain Heiko Westermann. "It was an awful performance and bitter for everyone who watched it."

Icelandic adventure: David James
Not since ex-Manchester United FC winger Lee Sharpe turned out for Knattspyrnudeild UMFG a decade ago has Icelandic football been graced by a famous Englishman. That will change, though, after 42-year-old former England goalkeeper James signed a one-year contract with ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar. Aside from playing, James will serve as assistant coach to his one-time Portsmouth FC team-mate Hermann Hreidarsson, with whom he won the FA Cup in 2007/08.

"It is great to sign him up and good for the team," said Hreidarsson. "He said he has played in goal for 26 years, which is before some of the players were born. He has a lot to give and we will try to get the most out of him. It is great for ÍBV and also for Icelandic football."

Briefest of comebacks: Andrian Bogdan
Forced by injury to retire prematurely in 2008, ex-Moldova keeper Andrian Bogdan had his chance to shine again when he made a brief football resurrection on Easter Sunday. With all their regular custodians ruled out, FC Academia Chisinau had to turn to their 36-year-old goalkeeping coach and he duly helped them to a 3-0 First Division win at FC Olimpia Balti. "I have not experienced these emotions for such a long time," Bogdan – who also played in Romania, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia – told UEFA.com. "Before the match, I was pretty nervous; after it, I was happy because we won. Will I play again? Anything can happen, but I would rather my understudies play and do it to the highest standards. My time is over now."