Sevilla / Barcelona (dpa) – World footballer Lionel Messi from FC Barcelona is threatened with a ban for several games after his first red card in almost 16 years.
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The Argentine was assaulted against defender Asier Villalibre in the 119th minute of extra time in the narrowly lost Spanish Supercup final against Athletic Bilbao (2: 3) in Seville. Messi had “hit an opponent with his arm with excessive force while the ball was in play, but not close enough to reach him,” the newspaper “Mundo Deportivo” quoted the referee as saying.
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That could bring the superstar a suspension for the next two to four games. However, the responsible sports committee has not yet announced a decision.
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The Messi, believed to be dominant on the field, had last seen red at Barça on February 27, 2005 in a game against Peña Sport. In the jersey of the Argentine national team, he was sent off twice: in 2005 against Hungary and in 2019 against Chile, as the newspaper wrote.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210118-99-64896 / 4
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