Lionel Messi leaving the lawn after his red card, in Seville on January 17, 2021. -
Miguel Morenatti / AP / SIPA
The Spanish Football Federation has imposed two suspension matches on FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi, who was excluded from the Supercopa final on Sunday, the instance announced on Tuesday.
In the lost 3-2 game against Athletic Bilbao, the Blaugranas captain was penalized with a direct red card for the first time in his professional career in the shirt of Barca, with whom he made 753 appearances.
A few seconds before the final whistle (120th), Messi slapped the Basque striker Asier Villalibre with his right hand, with whom he had just clung.
According to Spanish statistician Alexis Martin-Tamayo, the Argentine star was last excluded with the Blaugrana jersey fifteen years ago (in 2005), but it was during a match of the Spanish 3rd division, between Pena Sport and the reserve team of FC Barcelona.
Messi has also already been excluded twice with the Argentina squad, in his big debut and in the Copa America semi-final against Chile in 2019.
The Catalan club travels Thursday to Cornella (D3) in the Copa del Rey, and Sunday to Elche within the framework of the Spanish championship, in which it occupies the provisional 3rd place.
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