Argentine, Lionel Messi on Sunday saw red as his club side Barcelona were pipped to the Spanish Super Cup by Athletic Bilbao.
That red card to Messi in the dying embers of the game was his first-ever in a Barcelona shirt having played 752 games for the club without one.
Lionel Messi was shown the red card in the 121st minute with Barcelona trailing by 2 goals the 3.
He was shown the red card after taking a swing at Athletic Forward Asier Villalibre who was running across his path apparently frustrated by the fact that they were losing a cup final.
French forward Antoine Griezmann was at the double but his efforts were cancelled out by Oscar De Marcos and Villalibre with the later’s goal pushing the tie to extra time after it ended 2-2 in normal time.
Spanish forward, Inaki Williams then grabbed what proved to be the winner for Athletic in the 93rd minute of extra time just moments before Messi’s first red card for Barcelona in the 121st minute.
Athletic Club had such a good run en route to the Spanish Super Cup final which also saw them eliminate Barca’s arch-rivals, Real Madrid in the semi-finals stage.
Barcelona coach, Ronald Koeman said he didn’t see what Lionel Messi did to warrant the red card in the closing stages of the game.
“I can understand what Messi did. “I don’t know how many times they fouled him, and it’s normal to react when they keep trying to foul you as a player who is looking to dribble with the ball,” the coach told Goal.
