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Lionel Messi could be banned for up to four games after receiving the first red card of his Barcelona career in Sunday’s 3-2 loss in the Spanish Supercopa final to Athletic Bilbao.
Two Antoine Griezmann goals seemed to have Barca on track for the first trophy of the Ronald Koeman era, but Asier Villalibre’s 90th-minute goal carried the game into extra time.
– Notes: Messi 5/10, Griezmann 8/10 in a savage Supercopa defeat
– Stream Copa del Rey matches on ESPN + (US only)
Inaki Williams gave Athletic, who beat Real Madrid in the semi-finals, the lead in the 94th minute, and with time running out and Barca lost 3-2, Messi was sent off for going after Villalibre out of frustration.
The competition committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation will meet this week to decide on the length of the Barca captain’s suspension.
Messi, 33, is certain to miss two matches, but that could be doubled, depending on how the competition committee categorizes the dismissal. The ban will be served throughout La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Consequently, he will miss Thursday’s Copa trip to Cornella and next weekend’s game against Elche in La Liga. If the ban is longer, he could also miss the next Copa round if Barca progress and the game against Athletic at Camp Nou on January 31.
Sunday’s red card was the first Messi received while playing for Barca’s first team, lasting 753 matches. It was the fourth of his career, however, after one sack for Barca B in 2005 and two with Argentina, including one in his international debut the same year.
Koeman said after Sunday’s loss that he sympathizes with Messi’s frustration.
“I can understand what Messi did,” Koeman said. “I don’t know how many times they’ve done it, and it’s okay to react when they keep trying to foul you as a player looking to dribble with the ball, but I need to review properly. “
Barca entered Sunday’s final following a nine-game unbeaten streak in all competitions and spurred on by Messi passing a late fitness test after missing out on the semi-final win over Real Sociedad.
Two goals from Griezmann looked set to extend that run to 10 matches, but the Frenchman’s strikes were canceled out by Oscar De Marcos and then Villalibre before Williams hit a brilliant winner.
“I’m pissed off, angry, annoyed,” Griezmann told reporters after the loss, which denied him his first piece of silverware since joining Barca from Atletico Madrid in 2019.
“I have all the bad feelings you can have after losing a final. We made mistakes on set pieces, we defended poorly, we didn’t talk about free kicks. These are important details.”
Koeman tried to put on a brave face despite the loss.
“We are sad and disappointed, but I still think we are on the right track and improving,” Koeman added.
“We need to improve defensively. We need to be more engaged. We can’t let the players turn and shoot and pass. But I’m giving it my all. I’m not the worst coach now. [after a defeat] just like I’m not the best after a win, but it’s hard to take. “
For Athletic, it was a first trophy since they beat Barca to win the Supercopa de Espana in 2015 and it only came in the third game of new coach Marcelino’s tenure.
“The credit goes to the players,” Marcelino said. “They deserved to be here for what they did last season and to win those two games [against Madrid and Barca] It’s incredible.
“I would also like to remember Aritz Aduriz and Mikel San Jose and the other players who were here last season but who are no longer on the team. And also, the previous trainer [Gaizka Garitano] and its staff. “
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