Sports

Lionel Messi sees first red as Barcelona slump to 3-2 Super Cup defeat

Published

January 18, 2021

Lionel Messi received his first-ever red card in a Barcelona shirt in the 3-2 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.

The Argentine hero turned villain and was sent off by referee Gil Manzano for striking Bilbao’s Asier Villalibre in the final minute (120′).

Bilbao’s Iñaki Williams stole the show with a late extra-time goal to give the Los Leones (The Lions) the cup victory.

Antoine Greizmann gave Barcelona the lead twice (40′, 77′) after his opener was cancelled by Óscar de Marcos (42′) who kept Marcelino García’s team in the game.

Asier Villalibre (90′) sent Bilbao’s blood rushing with an equaliser and Williams (93′) made sure the cup didn’t go with Ronald Koeman’s side three minutes later when he netted the all-important third goal.

The victory brought a third Super Cup title for the Basque side and their first silverware since they claimed the same trophy in 2015 with a 5-1 aggregate win over Barca.

Barca’s coach, Koeman said post-match: “After so many years in football, Leo knows perfectly well when he is fit to play.

“We talked and he said he was in a good place to start. He has survived the game, gave the maximum, nothing more.”