Lionel Messi could be banned for a maximum of four matches after receiving the first red card of his career in Barcelona in Sunday’s final of the Spanish Super Cup with a 3-2 defeat against Athletic Bilbao.
Two goals from Antoine Griezmann seemed to have Barca on course for the first trophy of the Ronald Koeman era, but Asier Villalibre’s goal in the 90th minute led to extra time.
– Ratings: Messi 5/10, Griezmann 8/10 in a wild loss at the Super Cup
– Broadcast Copa del Rey matches on ESPN + (USA only)
Inaki Williams gave Athletic, who beat Real Madrid in the semifinals, the lead in the 94th minute, and with the time expired and Barca down 3-2, Messi was eliminated because he hit Villalibre frustrated.
The competition committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation will meet this week to decide on the duration of the suspension of captain Barca.
Messi, 33, will certainly miss two matches, but this could be doubled, depending on how the competition committee classifies his resignation. The ban will be applied throughout the Liga and Copa del Rey.
Therefore, he will miss Thursday’s Copa trip to the Cornella third division team and next weekend’s match against Elche in La Liga. If the ban is longer, he could miss the next round of the Cup if Barca progresses to the match against Athletic at the Camp Nou on January 31.
Sunday’s red card was the first that Messi received while playing for Barca’s first team, a length of 753 matches. However, he was the fourth of his career, after a dismissal for Barca B in 2005 and two with Argentina, including one at his international debut in the same year.
Koeman said after Sunday’s loss that he empathized with Messi’s frustration.
“I can understand what Messi did,” Koeman said. “I don’t know how many times they fouled him and it’s normal for him to react when he tries to keep fouling you as a player looking to dribble with the ball, but I have to see him properly again.”
The boat entered the final on Sunday behind an undefeated round of nine games in all competitions and stimulated by Messi, who passed a fitness test late, after missing the victory in the semifinal over Real Sociedad.
Two goals from Griezmann seemed to extend this race to 10 matches, but the Frenchman’s strikes were canceled by Oscar De Marcos and then by Villalibre before Williams reached a brilliant winner.
“I’m upset, upset, annoyed,” Griezmann told reporters after the defeat, who denied him his first piece of silver since joining Atletico Madrid’s Barca in 2019.
“I have all the bad feelings you can have after you lose a final. We made mistakes in the established games, we defended ourselves badly, we didn’t talk on free kicks. These are important details.”
Koeman tried to put up a brave face despite the loss.
“We are sad and disappointed, but I think we are on the right track and we are improving,” Koeman added.
“We need to improve defensively. We need to be more dedicated. We can’t let the players come back, shoot and pass. But I give 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 the first trophy since they beat Barca to win the Spanish Super Cup in 2015 and came only in the third game of the new coach Marcelino’s term.
“The credit goes to the players,” Marcelino said. “They deserved to be here for what they did last season and win these 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 are no longer part of the team. And also by the previous coach [Gaizka Garitano] and his staff. “