Everything went wrong: Lionel Messi was pure impotence and suffered his first expulsion as a Barcelona player

01/17/2021 19:40

• Clarín.com

• sports

Updated 01/17/2021 8:55 PM

It is always news for the positive.

But this time the opposite happened.

Lionel Messi saw a red card for the first time in his long career as a Barcelona player.

It was in the last minute of extra time when the VAR detected that he had slapped Villalibre, a rival who was trying to get rid of him, in the final that his team lost 3-2 to Athletic Bilbao for the Spanish Super Cup in the La Cartuja stadium in Seville.

There were 753 presentations with good behavior ... What was given is over.

Yes, the referee Jesús Gil Manzano - who had to see the monitor after the VAR warning - will go down in history for having been the first to send Messi to the changing rooms early.

It was a misplaced reaction.

Pure impotence.

No ball.

And it can be expensive.

"Messi" is a trend because he gave a rival player "sendo lepe", which caused that for the first time in his career with Barcelona he was expelled from the game by red card pic.twitter.com/SxKWPLMg3G

- Why is it a trend?

(@estendenciavzl) January 17, 2021

According to Spanish media, the Argentine had not been expelled from Spanish football for 15 years in a Second Division B match between Peña Sport and Barcelona B.

Different was the history of Messi with the shirt of the Selection.

There he saw the red card twice.

The first was the day of his debut in a friendly against Hungary, on August 17, 2005, in Budapest.

That day he was also expelled for wanting to get rid of a rival named Vilmos Vanczák.

The disputed failure of German Markus Merk was 43 seconds after José Pekerman sent him to the court to replace Lisandro López.

A debut that La Pulga will never forget.

The other expulsion, also remembered, was in the duel against Chile in the match for third place in the 2019 Copa América, played on July 6 of that year.

Then, he had a run-in with defender Gary Medel.

They insulted each other, got chest to chest and referee Mario Díaz de Vivar took the red from both of them.

"Unfortunately the corruption, the referees and all that do not allow people to enjoy the show. There is no doubt: unfortunately, this Cup is set up for Brazil," Leo said after the controversial ruling and the subsequent three-month suspension of Conmebol.

This Sunday, Messi went to the showers in a bad mood, but without too many protests.

The truth is that, despite having no prior record in the League, the Spanish media speculate with a harsh sanction for the Rosario star. 

Jesús Gil Manzano's report on the red that he showed Lionel Messi.

Article 98 of the Spanish Court of Misconduct states that "attacking another player, without causing injury, considering as a determining factor of the fraudulent element, necessary in this offense, the circumstance that the action takes place while the game is stopped or at a distance, will be sanctioned with suspension of four to twelve parties ".

Yes, Messi's sanction with the Barsa shirt could have a minimum of four games, which would be fulfilled immediately.

Both in the League and in the Copa del Rey.

If Barcelona passes the round of 32 against Cornellà - they play on Thursday - it would be two league dates (against Elche and Bilbao) and two for the Cup.

Beyond the unprecedented expulsion of Messi, Barcelona added a hard setback.

A new frustration for Koeman's, who had been on the rise in recent games.

The annoyance that Messi showed is in accordance with that of the Catalans since they have not won a title since April 2019 when they stayed with the League.